Bachelor in Paradise contestant Jamie Doran has revealed he is taking legal action against Network 10 and Warner Bros Australia.
Taking to Instagram, the 40-year-old reality star shared a typed statement detailing his actions.
“This is not the news I wanted to post, but I feel I owe this to at least my family, friends, and also fans of The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise,” Jamie’s post said.
“After lengthy consideration, I’ve decided to begin legal proceedings against Network 10 and Warner Bros Australia.
“I’m not going to comment on this any further for he time being and would appreciate it if people would respect my privacy.”
However a Network 10 spokesperson said: “Network 10 has not received any papers regarding this claim.”
Just under a week earlier, Jamie took to Instagram to clear the air about his relationship with Brittney Weldon.
“So once again I have to deal with a bunch of negative criticism regarding my friendship / relationship with @brittneymweldon. I don’t feel like I need to explain myself, but public scrutiny has forced my hand,” he wrote.
“At no point am I ‘stringing her along’ in Paradise. Yes, I stand by my statement that ‘I can’t imagine waking up in Paradise without her’. Brittney is one of the most amazing, beautiful, & vibrant women that I’ve ever met in my life. It tears me at the core that people are challenging my validity with her.”
Jamie continued: “Obviously those of you who are judging me don’t know what type of man I am, & the core principles & ethics I stand for.
“At no time did I manipulate Brittney into giving me a rose, & if you don’t believe me you can DM her directly. I’ll cherish what I have with Brittney for the rest of my life.
“Before you cast judgement over what you see in an edit, please respect that I always have Brittney’s best interests at heart. Stop buying into the ninety minutes you see on television each night. Britt is no fool. If she didn’t see my authenticity, I would have been cast from Paradise a long time ago.”
“I’m not asking for you all to love me (even like me), but please just understand that I think the world of Brittney.”
Fans on social media expressed concern for Jamie’s mental wellbeing after an episode where he broke down at the prospect of contestant Timm Hanly leaving the show. But host Osher Gunsberg, who is also an advocate for mental health, weighed in on the discussion via Twitter assuring fans that everyone has “full access to mental health professionals”.
“To be CLEAR. The amount of mental health support before/during/after production for the people on this show is significant. But you’ll never know who accessed it, who asked for it, and who continues with it because of privacy. But trust me, it’s ROBUST,” Osher tweeted.
If you or someone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit their website.