In Apollo’s own words, his final date with Bachelorette Sophie Monk “was probably the most awkward moment on Australian TV.”
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“I feel like I let down the whole nation,” the magician/musician admits to marie claire. “I was just so nervous – I didn’t sleep the night before, so I was exhausted by the end of the night, and when she asked me those questions I just froze.”
The 24-year-old says that when Monk asked him about marriage, he gave his answer for kids instead (which, tbh, probably wouldn’t have improved things much), and admits he would have liked it if she had helped diffuse the awkwardness by “asking more questions and stuff like that.”
“I think everyone’s been there – you’ve had a massive day and sometimes you just want to sit and enjoy the other person’s company with taking,” he explains.
We chatted with Apollo – god among men – about how he coped after his teary exit from the show, his drastic weight loss, his ideal woman and why he wishes people would stop saying he’s “fame-hungry.”
How he handled being ditched
“I was pretty prepared for it after that date – I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst. And then I cried on national TV – my dad had said, whatever you do, just don’t cry, and that’s exactly what I did.
Afterwards I got a few pizzas and went back to my hotel room. I had a diary that I’d written in throughout the journey so I read through that, I made a list of all the amazing things I got out of the experience- the amazing friends I’d made, the things I learnt about love and about myself.”
On his depression, heart attack and subsequent weight loss
“I had a stint of depression and then a heart attack. As soon as I came out of hospital I lost the weight – when something like that happens to you, you make drastic changes. I thought I was going to die in hospital, I’d accepted I was going to die. I started eating heaps of fibrous veggies, cut out fatty foods, cut out heaps of processed foods, processed meats and soft drink, and started exercising, started enjoying life – surfing, mixed martial arts training, stuff like that.”
On the suspicious timing of his new single
“It’s not my timing, it’s the media’s timing! The song is about being addicted to life and loving life. I’d written it when I was in hospital but I didn’t have the confidence to release it until recently. It was supposed to come out in January but then I went on tour, came back, did the show, then when my website got updated a couple of months ago, the designer put the album cover artwork up on it. It’s been sitting there for two months but for some reason no-one’s picked up on it until finale week, which makes it look like I was just fame-hungry.
That’s the problem with being an entertainer and going on the show – now whenever I do anything, I feel like people will say, he’s doing that because he’s fame-hungry. But I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”
On Jarrod
“He’s got a lot of stuff going for him. Pot plant aside, he’s 100 per cent there for her. He’s protective, he’s strong, he’s a real nurturer as well.”
On finding love again
“I haven’t even been out [since the show], I’ve just been focusing on family and getting back into doing what I love. But ultimately, I’m looking for someone who’s fun, adventurous, down to earth, someone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously and someone with a big heart for helping other people.”
On whether he’d be up for The Bachelor 2018:
“This is all pretty fresh but it’s something I’d be pretty open to I think.”
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