From the very beginning, Luke McLeod and Lisa Hyde seemed like one of the most stable couples in Bachelor In Paradise and despite leaving the island together to pursue a relationship on the outside world, it wasn’t meant to be for the lovebirds. WHO caught up with Luke to see what went wrong between the couple.
WHO: When Lisa suggests that you guys leave the island together, you seem very overwhelmed by the suggestion. What were your reservations about leaving?
I think at that time, it just kind of took me back as more of surprise factor than anything else. I think what we had just gone through was a bit of a speed hump with the Michael situation and I was quite keen to take things to the next level and get to know her in this experience and then I think she was just like ‘I’m ready to leave’ so I was like ‘Oh OK.’ That was more… I was ready to kind of just explore more of… and get to know her more in that environment and then when that came I was like ‘Right OK. She doesn’t want to make that happen here, she wants to make that happen in the real world’ and once I realised that and understood that it’s going to happen sooner or later with us, we’re going to have to try this in the real world… it was just more of the factor that it was just a bit of a surprise and when I got around that it was fine, I was like ‘Yeah I support your decision, yeah let’s give this a go… let’s see if we can make it work in the outside world.’
WHO: In the episode, it seems like you and Lisa leave without saying goodbye to anyone. Did it happen like that?
No we did have an opportunity where we came back in as a couple and the group was there and we said ‘Look we’ve decided to go and give this a crack in the outside world’ and everyone was like ‘Good luck’ and hugs and high fives and we left. We didn’t get really the opportunity to have any one on ones with the other guys but there was acknowledgement there with the group that we decided to leave.
WHO: How did the transfer from Paradise to reality go in terms of your relationship?
To be honest it was difficult because you come back into reality but it’s funny because you… to the public eye and even just friends and so forth you have to be in this sort of secretive relationship. We couldn’t be seen in public otherwise that would have given away the show and that so that was difficult because we honestly just wanted to just get on with it and just be like a normal couple and explore and to grow. Yeah it was difficult, but we tried… we honestly tried as much as we could.
WHO: What were the positives about returning home and what did you struggle with?
I think the positives were that there weren’t any cameras around (laughs). Even though we were completely ourselves and you’re genuine and you’re honest there, there is a little bit more… less pressure if that makes sense? Just really kind of relax and be with each other when we were together so that was nice. Obviously seeing friends and family was also really nice and we got to do a few little things together which again was also nice and probably the hardest part was that it just wasn’t like a normal relationship, we couldn’t really be in a normal relationship. That created it’s own pressures and problems and situations which… that was difficult.
WHO: Do you regret not cutting ties earlier on the show and staying single for a bit longer?
No, not at all. Not at all. There was no one else there that I wanted to get to know on an intimate level than Lisa and I was pretty confident that no one else would come in and do that. I think that situation on the episode was just out of context and we quickly repaired things and realised that there’s no other person that we wanted to get to know. No, I don’t regret that at all.
WHO: Are you still in contact with Lisa?
We speak when we need to, obviously the situation that we’re in we need to be civil and talk and I think we’re both mature enough to understand the situation that we’re in and of what we need to do and I respect her a lot so I’d always try to do… if there was any media or anything that came out, was to contact her, just like a normal adult relationship is just try to work it through together before getting anyone else involved and so we do talk when we need to but we also need to respect each other’s space as well.
WHO: Has your experience in Paradise shaped what you’re looking for in a partner now?
That’s a good question. I think any of those experiences… just like with The Bachelorette, you learn a lot about yourself and what you’re looking for. It was the same with this experience and I’m so grateful that I did get to meet such a beautiful person like Lisa because she taught me a lot about myself and I’m very grateful for it and I thank her lots for doing that.
WHO: How did you find your overall experience in Paradise?
It was quite an incredible experience, as I said I’m very grateful to be given that opportunity to go to a place like that and be with those type of people. I mean they’re all such big, different personalities and characters, that in itself is such a pleasure to just be around those type of people and be friends and interact with them and then also meet someone who’s a great person like Lisa, so very grateful.
WHO: Would you embark on another dating show or are you ready to step away from that now?
I think I’m ready to step away. I went onto the first experience to really push myself out of my comfort zone and of course, find someone incredible and the reason I did the second one was because I honestly thought that someone there I could really relate to and who had gone through something very similar to what I had made sense to me. Now, I think it’s been an incredible experience and I’m grateful for it but I don’t know if I’m best suited to more… too emotional.
WHO: Are you currently dating anyone?
No I’m just focusing on myself and throwing myself back into work and giving a bit of me time and I’m happy with that.
EXCLUSIVE – Bachelor In Paradise: The truth about Michael and Lisa
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
