“It’s Been Frustrating”: The Bachelor’s Ash on Getting the Friend Zone Edit

We’re nearing the final few episodes of The Bachelor, and things are starting to get serious. Sadly for Ash, she wasn’t able to receive a rose, meaning her time at the mansion has come to an end.

Speaking to POPSUGAR Australia Ash said that she and Jimmy shared a special connection, and she feels “frustrated” by the way their relationship was portrayed.

The dance teacher didn’t hold back, as she spoke to us about Brooke’s return and receiving the “friend zone edit”.

POPSUGAR Australia: When you were eliminated, how did you feel about Jimmy at that point?

Ash Lawson: Yeah, I was actually really disappointed, and despite the friend zone edit that I got, we actually had a good connection. And obviously making Top 6, you would have to have some sort of connection there. So I was pretty upset that I didn’t get to show Jimmy another side of me outside The Bachelor bubble and more into my home life with my friends and family so yeah, it was disappointing.

PS: You mentioned feeling frustrated over getting the friend zone edit. Could you elaborate on that?

AL: It’s been pretty frustrating. Because there’s so much more, even our kisses that were cut out, the affectionate side of things, which show the chemistry was cut. So for me, it was really frustrating because I was there to find love and every cocktail party I spoke to him.

When all the drama was happening I was actually speaking to Jimmy, especially on that camping trip. So I had uninterrupted time which was great for me. So Jimmy and I really built our connection every time and it just grew stronger and stronger. So for me to see this and see just a portion of me talking to Jimmy was really frustrating because there was so much more to that.

PS: How do you feel about Brooke’s return? Do you think she has a chance?

AL: I wasn’t sure if Brooke would come back or not, but knowing long term their compatibility wasn’t suitable, it was frustrating for me knowing that I could go home, knowing how compatible I was with Jimmy and it would work.

But yeah it was just frustrating because I know if I wasn’t compatible with him, I would have left. I wouldn’t have wasted his time or mine so from that side of things it was hard to sit there and listen knowing that I could be going home, which I did. I really feel like I would have made it to Hometowns if there was that rose left.

PS: Do you have any regrets about your time on the show? Would you do anything differently?

AL: I would be more of a cheerleader for myself. Put myself first. You probably saw me counselling Brooke last night at the cocktail party, so I think I definitely should have had more of a voice and just not be someone who I wouldn’t be normally.

PS: What have you taken away from this entire experience?

AL:  I realised just how much of a nice person I really am, to be honest. I made friends with all of the girls, I would even cook for all of the girls, I was always helping everyone out and I was definitely nice and respectful to everyone. I definitely held myself differently being the eldest there which was definitely an advantage in how I handled situations.

PS: Who do you think will be the last woman standing?

AL: I’m not too sure who Jimmy will pick as he’s being “blind-sided” as he keeps saying, but I think out of the girls, Jay will be the most compatible. Their chemistry has been there since day one.

PS: Making it to Top 6 and then having to leave must have been difficult. Was there an element of heartbreak you dealt with?

AL: That’s a hard one, it’s definitely an emotional rollercoaster. You’ve been in this environment for so long and then all of a sudden you’re out, and it kind of hits you. It didn’t hit me till the second day and I was really upset because I was like “oh my god, what just happened?”

You essentially go through a breakup and I went through that again last night watching it because it brings back all those emotions. So, it is like a breakup and the last time I saw these girls was at the rose ceremony, I used to wake up every day seeing them and that’s hard as well. You get used to a routine and all of a sudden it’s like “that’s it, that’s reality”.

PS: Tell us, what’s up next for you?

AL: Well, I’ve still got my online dance school. I’m also studying to be a nutritionist so I definitely want to educate the younger generation on having a healthy, active lifestyle and mentoring them.

That was another big thing for me on TV, I’m a role model to the younger generation, my students especially and I didn’t want to come across as anything that I wasn’t. So I want to focus on business and building that.