Before she was kicked off The Bachelor on Thursday’s episode, Cassandra Wood was confronted by Brittany Hockley about her sexual history with Nick Cummins.
The 24-year-old student was pushed to tears by the questioning, prompting outraged fans to accuse Brittany of ‘bullying’ and ‘slut shaming’.
One furious viewer tweeted: ‘Can we just acknowledge the bullying that Brittany inflicted on Cass? It’s never okay to push someone like that, but it’s especially inappropriate on national TV.’
‘It’s never okay to push someone like that’: The Bachelor was embroiled in a ‘slut shaming’ controversy on Thursday after Brittany Hockley was accused of ‘bullying’ Cassandra Wood (pictured) for details of her sexual history with Nick Cummins
They added: ‘Have to say I’m pretty disappointed Channel Ten.’
Another Twitter user was angry that Brittany hugged Cassandra after their tense conversation.
‘Don’t you dare hug her, Brit. Don’t you dare touch Cass after the slut shaming you just put her through,’ they wrote.
‘Inappropriate’: The 24-year-old student was pushed to tears by Brittany’s (right) questioning, prompting outraged fans to accuse the brunette radiographer of ‘bullying’ and ‘slut shaming’
‘How dare she make someone else feel ashamed of their past’: One Bachelor fan said Cassandra and Nick’s physical relationship before the show was ‘none of Brittany’s business’, while another claimed the distressing scene should not have been used for ‘entertainment’
One Bachelor fan said Cassandra and Nick’s physical relationship before the show was ‘none of Brittany’s business’, while another claimed the distressing scene should not have been used for ‘entertainment’.
‘I’ve watched about 10 minutes total all season and this is all just so cruel to Cass. Everyone using her for “entertainment” should be ashamed. Her feelings for him are above and beyond a reality show,’ tweeted an unhappy viewer.
At the cocktail party before Thursday’s rose ceremony, Brittany confronted Cassandra about her history with Nick.
‘Don’t you dare touch Cass’: Another Twitter user was outraged that Brittany hugged Cassandra after their tense conversation
Backlash: ‘Don’t you dare hug her, Brit. Don’t you dare touch Cass after the slut shaming you just put her through,’ they wrote
Brittany was told by her sister Sheri during hometown visits that it had been reported in the media that Cassandra and Nick dated before the show.
‘It came out at my hometown and I was mortified. I’ve never felt more embarrassed in my life,’ said the 30-year-old radiographer.
‘This is really hard because I came in here and I didn’t know it was going to be with Nick,’ Cassandra replied, looking visibly uncomfortable.
‘I never felt more embarrassed’: At the cocktail party before Thursday’s rose ceremony, Brittany confronted Cassandra about her history with Nick
Cassandra said she left out details when the other women asked about her and Nick to spare their feelings, adding that they only went on a ‘few dates’.
‘We weren’t dating, or in a relationship, I don’t even know if you would call it seeing each other,’ she added tearfully.
Brittany then asked if they kissed and if anything ‘physical’ happened, leaving Cassandra momentarily speechless.
‘We… like, I don’t know… what to say… like, we kissed and stuff. I don’t know. This is just a really inappropriate situation. I didn’t want to have to do this. I actually don’t know how to handle this situation… it wasn’t a relationship,’ she responded.
‘We kissed and stuff. I don’t know…’ Brittany asked if they kissed and if anything ‘physical’ happened, leaving Cassandra momentarily speechless
Cassandra was sent home at the subsequent rose ceremony.
After the show aired, she released a statement on Instagram claiming there were ‘no hard feelings’ between herself and Brittany.
‘I completely understand why Brittany approached the situation [the way she did],’ she wrote.
‘There are absolutely no hard feelings towards her. She was my rock throughout this whole journey (along with Sophie) and I honestly couldn’t have done it without them.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Network Ten for comment.