Filming for his season of The Bachelor has already been plagued with controversy, with swirling rumours that producers made him re-do scenes to encourage PDA.
And Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins was hit by further speculation, as new behind-the-scenes photos appeared to show him reading from a script on his latest date.
The former rugby player, 30, was spotted sitting next to a bikini-clad beauty during a romantic lunch by Hawkesbury River on Wednesday – with what looked like a sheaf of papers laid out on the table in front of them.
Is Nick Cummins reading from a SCRIPT? The Bachelor was spotted sitting next to a dubious ringbinder during a romantic river date with a bikini-clad beauty on Wednesday
The couple appeared to be chatted easily as they sat side by side in front of the apparent ringbinder.
Dashing the illusion of a secluded beach date, their encounter was captured by two cameramen positioned just inches away from them.
Ensuring every sweet nothing they whispered to each other was recorded, a sound boom technician later hovered near the couple as they waded into the river to go fishing.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted a Channel 10 representative for comment.
Hmm: The former rugby player, 30, was spotted sitting next to a bikini-clad beauty during a romantic lunch by Hawkesbury River – with what looked like a sheaf of papers laid out on the table in front of them
It’s not the first time Nick’s been hit with speculation that his intimate dates require more direction and planning than viewers would expect.
He was reportedly forced to redo a scene where he handed his blonde companion a rose three times as producers wanted him to ‘passionately kiss’ her at the end.
Nick took his pretty companion to The Basin in Pittwater for a paddle-boarding session followed by a romantic picnic by the lagoon for his first date.
And while the pair seemed to be getting on well, Nick reportedly failed to impress when he held back from kissing his date.
‘It looked as if the producers wanted him to turn on the fireworks and passionately kiss the girl but he didn’t, so they kept making him go in and out of the water where the rose was placed in a canister in the hopes that he might have a better reaction,’ a source told The Goss.
They’ve got an audience: Dashing the illusion of a secluded beach date, their encounter was captured by two cameramen positioned just inches away from them
The dozen crew members who were filming the moment had allegedly wanted the sportsman to show more affection – but reportedly only got a quick peck on the cheek
‘The crew even backed away to give them some more space but in the end the kiss on the cheek lasted less than a second,’ the insider claimed.
The former Wallaby has already filmed the first date, a themed shoot for a magazine and the first cocktail party in the first week of season six.
The insider claimed bosses had hired a security firm to try to protect the scenes from being snapped by paparazzi and leaked before they were shown on air – to no avail.
Rumour has it: It comes amid claims He was forced to redo a scene where he handed his blonde companion a rose three times as producers wanted him to ‘passionately kiss’ her at the end
Last year’s bachelor Richie Strachan, 2016’s Sam Wood, as well as 2015 Bachelorette Sam Frost were all surrounded by crew members while filming intimate dates.
‘Reality TV is half reality, half entertainment,’ former Bachelor contestant Natalie Sady previously said in an article she penned for Mamamia.
The brunette beauty, who starred in Tim Robards’ season of the reality show in 2013, said: ‘There are sometimes numerous takes, because the cameraman missed something, or you did something unexpected.
It’s interesting filming a romantic moment that isn’t so romantic when one of you is dying to pee so badly that they are in pain, but you need to get the shot.’
She added: ‘Why share this? Because as consumers of reality TV everyone needs to be mindful of the fact that they are watching a TV show that is made for entertainment’.
Man of the moment: ‘The crew even backed away to give them some more space but in the end the kiss on the cheek lasted less than a second,’ the insider claimed