On Thursday night, Locky Gilbert chose Irena Srbinovska during the finale of the Bachelor Australia.
After a dramatic episode, Gilbert pledged his love for the 31-year-old nurse, leaving 25-year-old Bella Varelis heartbroken.
As we all know, the finale isn’t live and was filmed a few months back — meaning that Gilbert and Srbinovska have been in a secret relationship this entire time. Or have they?
Part of the fun of watching the series is becoming inherently invested in the relationship we watched unfold in front of our very eyes. So the question remains, are Srbinovska and Gilbert still together or did we waste yet another season of the franchise that has been a dud for the last few years?
In happier news, we can report that Srbinovska and Gilbert are in fact still together. While rumours and gossip will have you thinking otherwise, the pair has broken the curse of the past two years (ahem, Matt Agnew and Chelsie McLeod, and Nick Cummins choosing no one) and seem to be wholeheartedly in love.
In a post on his Instagram after the show, Gilbert said:
“I have always listened to my heart and it has lead me to this point. As hard as it was to say good bye. I was also saying hello to my future wife, baby mumma and best friend. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Here is to one crazy adventure and so so many more with you babe [sic].”
Throughout the season and his various media appearances, Gilbert has told anyone who will listen that he is 1000% per cent still with “the winner” and he is the happiest he’s ever been.
The rumours were so rampant that they had broken up, that Network Ten had to release a statement mid-season.
“Locky and his chosen lady are still together and very happy,” they said.
In an interview with WHO Magazine, Gilbert revealed that he and Srbinovska (who hadn’t been revealed at the time) were still very much together and that they “talk on the phone all the time”.
“We were on a call for three hours this morning and five hours yesterday,” he said at the time of the interview.
But for now, we can all go to sleep knowing that love is not dead and do this all over again when The Bachelorette begins.