By ATARA THENABADU

As we narrow down to the frontrunners of The Bachelor, the race to grab Matt’s heart is really heating up. 

This week’s theme was DANGER. 

On Wednesday night Matt took country girl and crowd favourite Elly on a second single date, much to the anger of Mary, Rachael, Nicole and Nikki who were yet to go on one. 

SPOILER: These girls all went home this week, so they obviously didn’t know what was coming for them when they kicked up such a fuss about Elly.

Matt took Elly to meet some fire dancers.

Don’t get me wrong, the pair’s ‘terrifying’ fire dance was somewhat entertaining, but the real excitement came when Matt put on that tight sleeveless leather jacket to ‘protect’ himself from the flames! And we weren’t the only ones enjoying the sight, Elly was clearly loving it! 

In my opinion, Elly seems to be following the same character trajectory as Tara (from Matty J’s season) and Nikki (from Richie’s season). Like Tara and Nikki, Elly has been portrayed as the frontrunner, but my guess is that she will end up heartbroken and join the sad group of Bachie breakups that have made us all cry.

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Cheerleader Nikki and Cook Mary were having a nice cup of tea, literally, before spilling it all over the mansion, figuratively.

Apparently, Racheal, AKA lip filler-girl, had a crush on a Channel 10 crew member. How scandalous!

After having a serious gossip sesh with the other women, Mary decided to expose Rachael’s love affair to Matt. 

Matt confronted Rachael about it while she was mid-interview confessing her love for another man. Such divine timing Matt, great work!

But it did feel somewhat hypocritical of Matt, expecting Rachael to be completely exclusive to him, when he’s literally dating ten women at once...

However, Matt wasn’t going to stand for the lies and sent her packing before the rose ceremony even began.

But Rachael wasn’t the only woman who left the mansion on Wednesday night. We also said goodbye to cheerleader and professional gossip, Nikki. Bye, girl, bye.

Even though Nikki didn’t survive this week, her cheerleading routine will go down in Bachelor folklore.  

Thursday night’s episode started off with a dangerous group date. 

Country girl Elly, French girl Helena, Stage-five-clinger Emma, Gemini Abbey and Cook Mary took part in a trapeze performance with Matt. 

Some of the women were starting to see through the Bachelor lies. About time, ladies!

Emma, Helena and Mary felt like they were just extras in the background while Elly and Abbie fought for Matt’s attention. 

Abbie put her heart and soul into her trapeze performance, proving to us all that you can truly fake it til you make it, in gymnastics and .... in personality.

But Matt was caught up in her spidery web of flirtiness and chose her as his partner for the final silk rope routine, which turned into a steamy make-out sesh. 

** eye roll **

To quote unofficial narrator, Cook Mary, “Matt is definitely buying what she’s selling”.

But Matt wasn’t there to stick around, and he quickly moved on to Chemical Engineer Chelsie with the second danger-themed date of the episode.

The pair went abseiling off a building.

After many failed attempts and lots of “holy shits”, Matt and Chelsie eventually got to the bottom of the building, and Chelsie left with a rose in hand.

During the last rose ceremony of the week, Sogand (she has had little screen time...until now!) treated Matt to a personal belly dance to prove to the entire country that she IS sexy, but I personally found it very awkward viewing.

Country girl Elly stuck to the more conventional route, gifting Matt a fleece flannel. How very country of her.

But it appeared Nicole, who rode a motorbike to the red carpet in episode one, and Cook Mary, didn’t match up to Matt’s expectations this week so we saw them leave the mansion. I mean, it’s hard to compete with a belly dance and a fleece flannel!

The stakes are starting to get higher and higher each week, because in a mere couple of weeks Matt will make his final choice.