So… you got plucked before an intruder. Was that a blow to the ego?
It wasn’t necessarily a blow to the ego, but it was a bit bizarre because I’d had a chat with Richie right before that rose ceremony. You know, he asked me some good questions – things like, do you think we’re actually compatible? But I knew my time was up. I didn’t have that real connection he seemed to have with the other girls. But in the heat of the moment, when you’re trying to answer questions on your way out of the house, you can feel frustrated. You can answer them a certain way. Regardless of how I sounded or what I said, I knew that sooner or later I’d be leaving because I wasn’t the girl for him. I knew that.
Why?
I guess that even though Richie and I had a lot in common, we were really just friends. There needs to be a spark, an undeniable chemistry, for you to want to end up with someone. It wasn’t there. On paper we seemed like a great match. Look at him—he’s attractive, he’s intelligent, he has a good job, he seems to have everything going for him. But the spark was missing.
Tell me a bit about your relationship with Richie. Did you ever honestly think the two of you had a real chance at romance?
Richie and I spoke at almost every party, but unfortunately you never got to see a lot of our chats on television. Our conversations were deeper than some of the others you saw. We talked to each other about our fears, our past relationships, my time spent living overseas… You know, I’ve lived the high life but I would happily settle for Vegemite on toast on my verandah with the person I love. I’m that kind of person and so is he. Without that one person who makes you feel like you’re home, you feel lost – I told Richie that. And for me to be speaking about the things that scare me? That doesn’t happen for me often when I’ve only known a person for such a small amount of time. I opened up to him ahead of my normal timeline, and I did that to give myself the best shot at falling in love.
But it didn’t happen. What do you think Richie saw in the others that he didn’t see in you?
I know that he’s a fun and friendly guy, but he’s also soft spoken. He’s not necessarily an aggressive person. And because I’m very boisterous, maybe our energies and personalities just weren’t as well-suited to each other. I do want to see one of the others still left in the house find love with him, because they’re all incredible.
Well, then… who are you tipping to win?
It’s hard to say because it seems he’s got strong connections with all of them. I do know he has a very strong bond with Nikki. She was quietly confident in the house, and we didn’t know the extent of what they shared. She didn’t shed a bead of sweat at any of the rose ceremonies, so there must have been something pretty serious going on there.
Looking back, what would you say was the high point in the mansion? And the low point?
I think the down time with the girls was the high point. Getting to know them, to talk to them and hear them say positive things to me and tell me nice things about myself on a daily basis… there were beautiful, warm-hearted people in that house. And it was a nice change from Sydney, where you feel you get so much competition sometimes. So the quality time I had with them was it. The low point would have been the weeks leading up to my departure. I was really starting to feel conflicted as to whether or not to stay or walk out. I didn’t want to just leave and look like I was ungrateful for the time I’d been given in the house.
Did you and Keira ever get a chance to patch things up after your run-in?
Yeah, look – 35 seconds of heated words in a 24-hour day is not the biggest thing ever. We chatted the next day. I’ve read some of the stuff she’s said about me in some articles, but you know, just because we don’t see eye to eye doesn’t mean we are enemies.
Has anybody called you “peasant” on the street?
I do think it’s quite childish to call people names. But it was entertaining , and I did have a good ol’ laugh over all ot. I don’t condone nastiness, but if anything it brought us closer. That was a very funny couple of weeks—I mean, the way it happened! She asked me to talk to her, then she didn’t want to talk to me… it was just a big ol’ contradiction.
Have you seen all of the nude selfies that Megan and Tiffany have been putting up online lately? What do you think of those?
I have seen those. Megan’s a pretty fun-loving, eclectic girl and I don’t think she really cares what others think. They have a pretty special friendship… it was certainly individual to the ones the others had in the house. I think they like causing a bit of controversy, and it’s just hilarious. They’re just having fun on the back end of the show. Good for them.
What did you learn about yourself doing this?
I always knew that I was very resilient. But I came to realise I have some big walls up, and in the face of fear I do clam up. I want to work on that. I want to be more open and honest, and let people in more. I guess that’s how you truly fall in love with someone. I’ve learnt that’s what I need to start doing.
What’s next for Kiki?
Right now I’m just trying to get through Steptember. It’s a charity initiative and I’ve got to take 10,000 steps a day. Doing things for other people really gets me into a good place.
What about dating? Have you returned to the playing field?
Well, right now things are a bit iffy. Who can I trust now? I don’t know just yet. So I’ve just started to dip my toe back in a bit. I’ll keep dipping it in and see how it feels for now.
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