Bachelor In Paradise star Alex Nation's family revelation

They may have split over a year ago, but there’s some things that still connect Alex Nation and Richie Strahan, with one of them being family.

Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle Australia, 27-year-old Alex says going onto Bachelor In Paradise was a big decision, and one that she initially hid from her eight-year-old son Elijah who is still very fond of her reality TV ex.

“So when I went out there I told him I was going to work, I had a job to do,” explains Alex.

“I didn’t tell him I was filming a television show… because when he thinks Bachelor he thinks Richie. So that’s a little bit confusing for him and so I thought it would be best for me to kind of explain that to him when I got back.

“I came back and I told him in eight-year-old terms where I was and explained that I did see Richie there and bless his little socks. He was very excited and said, ‘How is he? How is Richie? Tell him I say hello’,” explains Alex.

“Kids are so innocent and that’s why it’s so beautiful. It makes you think, ‘I did have something really special with Richie and my eight-year-old son just reminded me of it’.”

Tonight Alex and Richie came face-to-face for the first time in over a year, and a raw conversation was needed to get some closure.

“When I saw him there, it was kind of annoying because he did look really good,” Alex tells Yahoo Lifestyle Australia.

“It’s always annoying when you see your ex and they look great, but I kind of went in with the thought process we’re here together, we need to lay out a few things and close this chapter while we have the opportunity because we didn’t have the opportunity prior to this.

“We hadn’t spoken in almost a year-and-a-half. It just so happened that that [conversation] unfolded on national television but I was actually glad that he was there so we could get some closure.”

During their chat, Alex addressed an important time when Richie couldn’t fly over to Melbourne to be with her.

“I needed more of your presence and I kept stressing that to you,” she told him.

When Richie said she had to take a lot of responsibility in the breakdown of their romance, she responded: “Do you want to go there Rich? Because I think people would have a very big opinion of a woman being left alone to do something that involved both of us.

“We talked about it,” Richie said. “Alex you’re a mother, I know that clearly. I spoke to you in length about that because you’ve gone down that pathway, you know what’s involved with that. We spoke in length about it. I supported you and your decisions.”

“If you’re a man and you’re in that situation, you move mountains to be there,” Alex then said.

“Why couldn’t you just wait till I could be there?” asked Richie, to which Alex responded, “Richie, you had 48 hours”.

“Watching your relationship unfold in the public eye is exciting,” Alex now tells Yahoo Lifestyle Australia. “But it’s hard, and having a breakdown in the public eye [is hard] as well.”

The pair have decided to embark on a new chapter in paradise, and we’ll be watching to see just what happens next.

Got a story tip? Send it to lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com

Want more lifestyle and celebrity news? Follow Yahoo Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Or sign up to our daily newsletter here.