Bachelor returns with a fresh cast of love-hungry hopefuls

From a nurse to a model, a mechanical engineer and a special-needs teacher, it is a vast field of hopefuls vying for Locky Gilbert’s heart on the latest season of The Bachelor. Some 23 women will put their hearts on the line to ultimately find “the one” on the eighth instalment of the reality dating show that stars former Survivor hunk Gilbert in his search for love. “I really want to find love,” Gilbert says. “I’m pretty content with my life at the moment. I go on these crazy adventures, but I’d love someone to share the memories with.” Gilbert, 30, is a thrillseeking adventure guide, running his own business in Western Australia and Bali. “I’ve got best friends, but I want to find that one best friend that I can spend the rest of my life with,” he says. “This is an amazing opportunity to hopefully find someone special.” With the season set to premiere on Wednesday, early promotion of the series shows Gilbert buckling under the pressure. In one ad, we see Gilbert struggling as he admits he has fallen in love with two women. Hibernation has had a good look over the field of contestants and has singled out a

number of women who we believe will feature heavily throughout the season.

Human resources adviser Izzy Sharman-Firth (pictured) said she’s planning to win The Bachelor by “being myself” and “maybe my cooking”. The 29-year-old from Queensland wouldn’t do well if partnered with a “Trump supporter” and admits she is single because “I’m obviously crazy”.

Her biggest fear is having her heart broken on national television.

Marlaina McPhillips, a fundraising coordinator from Victoria, describes herself as a “dad joke enthusiast” who is footy crazy and searching for her “goofy soulmate”.

Her biggest fear is “being so vulnerable”.

“I’ve tried the online dating scene and dating in real life wasn’t working either, so with a glass of wine one night I thought ‘wine not?’ Cringe-worthy? Yes. Worth it? Also yes.”

Deal-breakers for the 31-year-old are cheating and smoking.

Tasmanian Maddy Carver has been single for the past four years and has big dreams for a wedding, three kids and a dream house.

“I am ready to get married and have kids, so all I need now is a man,” the 25-year-old teacher says. “I don’t want to be an old lady who lives in a little flat with 10 cats. I don’t even like cats.”

Gilbert lives up to Carver’s ideal man.

“Physically he would be tall, tanned, fit and have a nice smile,” she says. “Personality-wise, my he’d be motivated, family-orientated, driven, adventurous, have a good sense of humour, be honest and loyal.”

A major deal-breaker for Sydney stylist Juliette Herrera is someone who can’t communicate authentically. The 34-year-old, who also wants three children, says: “If he cannot communicate, it shows to me a lack of maturity. Most conflict comes from misunderstanding or wanting to control another person.”

Kristina Abramoff from Perth cites her two greatest achievements in life as getting her PhD and making it on to The Bachelor.

The Bachelor, 7.30 Wednesday, Channel 10