It is a case of ‘love me, love my dog’ for TV’s Bachelor Zac Franich, but what do the women in his life really think about him?
As the final of The Bachelor NZ approaches, Zac Franich talks to Sarah Nealon about why the woman he chooses must be an animal lover and why he has no regrets.
While viewers have yet to find out who will win The Bachelor NZ, TV Guide can reveal she has a soft spot for dogs. On screen, bachelor Zac Franich, 28, is still deciding which woman he wants to pursue a serious relationship with. But, in real life, most of the show’s filming is completed and Franich says he is happy with his choice. Although he is sworn to secrecy about the winner’s identity, he admits to being “really happy with where things ended up”. During his televised search for love, Franich aimed to find someone who likes Chief, one of his best friends. Chief is a Chow Chow breed of dog and Franich has owned him for five years. “He’s a bit of a goof and he is easily excited and I love him to pieces,” says Franich, who admits to missing his pet while filming The Bachelor. Franich’s parents looked after Chief while he was busy making the TV series and Franich is delighted to be reunited with his four-legged friend. “It’s good to go back and just take him for a walk and hang out with him. It’s hard not to smile when you’re around a dog like that,” he says. “Chief likes to be close to people so he’ll happily walk
inside with you and fall asleep. He just likes to be around people. I like that about him.”
Besides Chief, Franich is close to his family, who have supported him in his foray into reality TV. He says his mother watches The
Bachelor but “finds it a bit hard watching her eldest son on TV kissing girls”.
Since being named as The Bachelor, Franich has had to learn to adjust to being in the spotlight.
“It’s been pretty interesting,” he says. “I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t enjoy it a little bit when people came up and asked me questions or wanted a photo because that’s fun and it’s part of that whole ride as well.
“Everybody has been really friendly and polite. People are just curious. New Zealand is a small place so any sort of notoriety, I guess fame that comes with a reality show, people are just curious about what it’s like.
“People are like ‘Is it real?’ and my answer is always ‘Absolutely. It’s how you see it’.”
But one thing that has surprised Franich is that he comes across as so serious.
“I am a bit goofy as well but I found that hasn’t really been shown,” he says.
my hand halfway down an elephant’s throat or ripping round on dirt bikes at home visits. Rosie: Thailand was incredible. But the Eden Park rugby date was definitely a favourite moment of mine. It was so fun and really out of my comfort zone but I had such a laugh with Zac and the girls. Hannah: The elephants were a highlight and the boat ride to the James Bond island in Phuket was a banger. Viarni: Our Bangkok park date was one of my fondest moments with him. Bel: Meeting the incredible elephants on the group date.
What was your worst moment on the show?
Jessica: The shock and surprise of leaving – it was really unexpected. Lily: Every cocktail party in Thailand – swimming in my own personal pool of makeup and sweat. Rosie: Falling down the waterfall was pretty brutal. I fell over quite a bit on the show but falling very ungracefully in a bikini in front of Zac (was) definitely cringe-worthy. Hannah: A combination of almost freezing to death and not getting a rose for the effort as well as not being able to be in touch with friends and family for regular advice and updates. Viarni: The double elimination in Chiang Mai where I was called second to last. I thought that might have been it for me. Bel: Getting dumped while on a date. When asked about his favourite date on the show, Franich recalls a ballroom dancing lesson with Claudia.
“It definitely put me outside of my comfort zone,” he says. “But I really enjoyed learning about myself and I guess just surrendering to the experience and having fun.”
However, what wasn’t so much fun was deciding who should stay on the show and who should be sent home.
“It was always really difficult,” says Franich. “It’s never nice breaking up with someone and especially towards the end and having to end relationships which have a lot of potential.
“I’ve got a lot of feelings and I care a lot about the girls. It was a really crazy, emotional roller-coaster for that last three or four weeks.
“It was really tough but by the time it came for me to make my decision I felt I was in a really good space to make the best choice for me. So no regrets ... I’m really pleased with how things have wound up and where I am and who I’m with.”
The Bachelor NZ’s season one winner Matilda Rice, who is still very much in love with Art Green, has raised the idea of having a double date with Zac and his chosen woman. That is something Franich is open to.
“I’d love that to happen,” he says. “At the very least it’s an unreal experience that not many people have been able to go through so we all have that one thing in common.
“We could share how we found things and different challenges ... That would be really cool.”