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Bachelorettes’ show down: Our last-ditch effort to woo Moses

The final three girls from The Bachelor NZ are laying it all on the line to win Moses' heart.

And then there were three! After weeks of awkward moments, bad dates and broken hearts, The Bachelor NZ’s Moses MacKay’s rollercoaster romances are coming to an end – but just who will take home the final rose remains a mystery.

There is no denying that the 30-year-old Sol3 Mio star cares about the three women vying for his heart, but Moses is playing his cards close to his chest when it comes to love.

The ladies themselves admit they all have feelings for the charismatic Bachelor, who they believe is searching for a sincere emotional connection with one of the contestants before revealing his true feelings.

“He’s a very deep and sentimental person,” explains love hopeful Lana Ennis. “I don’t think he really wants to say that to someone until the end or until he really means it.”

Shenae Connelly

Shenae Connelly

The 27-year-old is the first to admit that she isn’t disappointed by the lack of onscreen passion from Moses. In fact, it’s what she secretly hoped for from the beginning of her reality romance.

“I remember thinking before filming started that I hoped he only kissed the winner,” explains Shenae. “I know that’s not how it works and it’s probably not great for ratings, but I think it shows his sincerity.”

It’s that lack of physical intimacy that Shenae believes reveals the true nature of this year’s famous Bachelor. “It shows who he is as a person – a super-respectful gentleman,” she enthuses.

Making the top three hasn’t come as a surprise to the marketing advisor. “I felt an instant spark with Moses,” she reveals. “I felt like we had something special from day one.”

But she shares that being on the show has been full of hard times, none more so than taking Moses to meet her family. “Going into home visits was really tough,” reveals Shenae, whose father passed away when she was a child, then she had the heartache of losing her mother recently. “Listening to the other girls call their parents about the visits hit me pretty hard, and made me crave a conversation with my mum and dad. I just wished that they could have been here with me.”

Luckily, Shenae has the support of her aunt, cousins and best friends, who have all taken on the role of her guardian.

“They never let me feel like I’m alone,” she says.

Annelise Theis

Annelise Theis

She was late to the party, coming in as one of the intruders, but bartender Annie was quick to make a connection with Moses. However, the 26-year-old from Wa¯naka reveals that her days in the mansion haven’t been easy.

“It’s very hard to explain what the whole experience is like and at times it is emotionally draining,” she tells. “I definitely had a moment or two when I wanted to leave. But I stuck it

out for a chance with Moses.”

Annie says she had feelings for the Bachelor instantly. “I could just tell from the moment I met Moses that he was going to be a special person in my life in some way,” she says.

So she was shocked when Moses hinted he might walk away from the show without choosing any of the girls. “That really shook me,” she confides.

But no matter the outcome of the final rose ceremony, Annie will always have her memories.

“The best moment was when Moses and I went to the ballet,” she says. “Dancing on stage like that in such a beautiful theatre, with such a beautiful person by my side, was truly magical.”

Lana Ennis

Lana Ennis

To make the final three is a bittersweet moment for Lana, who admits she feels a bit like a fraud for earning her place after others pulled out of the competition because they weren’t feeling the love for Moses.

“The self-eliminations really made me question my rightful position there,” explains Lana. “It felt really weird and I didn’t hear the words, ‘Lana, do you accept the rose?'”

In fact, she was so confused about where she stood that the day before the Top Three rose ceremony, exhausted and emotionally challenged, she almost left the show herself.

The Queenstown nurse, 28, says she has never heard Moses say he has feelings for her or that he can see a future with her, but she has bravely decided to embrace her final three position and see where the journey takes her.

“I thought, ‘Well, trust in the process. Everything happens for a reason, so just be here until you’re not.'”

She’d also like to clear up the whole “open relationship” thing, which raised eyebrows on the show. She tells, “I am not into open relationships and have never been in one! That was just in relation to the show. The Bachelor experience could be relatable to polyamorous relationships, where you’re dating many people.”

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