But when Nikki admitted that yes, she did kiss Richie, her admission left the other women reeling in shock – and Nikki feeling personally attacked.
No-one was more hurt by Nikki’s blunt admission than single mum Alex, who had scored this episode’s only official one-on-one date – as well as a very passionate kiss with their hunky suitor.
‘Last time Richie and I shared a kiss I didn’t tell anyone, this time I didn’t want to lie,’ Nikki explained to the cameras as viewers saw Alex’s heart absolutely sink into her stomach.
‘Kissing is so intimate, it’s so special,’ Alex lamented to the other girls, adding to the cameras: ‘I could feel myself completely closing up to the point I wasn’t going to use the white rose.’
While Keira was left smirking like the Cheshire Cat after causing such outrage and a clear divide amongst the girls, she later tried to convince Nikki that she didn’t mean to drop her in it.
‘I just don’t want you to think that what I said was a personal attack on you,’ Keira told Nikki, to which Nikki replied that that’s exactly how it felt.
‘I’m horrified to think that I’ve hurt anyone,’ Nikki cried to the other girls.
While both Nikki and Alex were safe from elimination, having already received roses, Keira was left to sweat for a while, with Richie calling her name second last.
‘I can’t handle this ****,’ she declared to Richie, who then sent Eliza home after picking Noni over her. Oh the drama!
