Konrad Bien-Stephen weighs in on The Bachelors' polyamory scandal

It’s hard to deny that the biggest storyline on this year’s season of The Bachelors has been Jessica Navin’s open relationship with her boyfriend Damien.

From Tash Candyce outing the relationship to Bachelor Felix Van Hofe in week one to Damian crashing Jessica’s lunch with Felix’s family on Wednesday night, almost every episode this season has centred around the 25-year-old’s polyamory.

Former Bachelorette contestant Konrad Bien-Stephen, who was famously in an open relationship with Abbie Chatfield for almost a year, has now weighed in on the drama and shared his thoughts on Jessica’s hesitancy to commit to Felix.

“I totally understand the ethical non-monogamy side of things,” he tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “Even though I'm in a monogamous relationship now, I’ve been in open relationships before and it can be very fluid in what you want. And being open about that and talking about it is very important.

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“I can understand her saying after this to organically date and see where it goes. I think that was my downfall in my season because I wasn't very much like, ‘We're going to be together forever and this is how it's going to be’. I think I said we'd go to cafés and I'd make Brooke breakfast burritos,” he laughs. “You’ve gotta keep dating because everything is happening really quick.

“I find that so interesting that she still has a boyfriend on the outside,” he continues. “I think [Felix] is totally not into it. He sounds like someone that I don't think would be secure in himself enough to be in an open relationship, even though I feel like he can quite happily date multiple women. Ethical non-monogamy is not for everyone, but for those that can have that relationship structure, good on them.”

Konrad went on to say that it’s important for people to be having conversations about open relationships on TV so it can become normalised.

“There's nothing wrong with the many different relationship dynamics,” he adds. “If someone has an issue with it it's kind of like, why? What does it have to do with you?

“It normally comes down to either their own insecurities or their own wants from a relationship, which is funny because it has nothing to do with somebody else's relationship.”

'It's weird'

Meanwhile, former Bachelor and Bachelor In Paradise contestant Cat Henesey tells Yahoo Lifestyle she thinks Jessica’s open relationship storyline has gone on for too long this season.

“They've definitely focused a lot of energy on it, and I think they're definitely stretching it as far as they can go,” she says. “Damien’s literally had more airtime than half the girls. Like, I reckon we know Damien better than we know Lauren, who's in the top two. Not even kidding.

“I think that Felix needs to accept the fact that if he's going to choose Jess, Damien is going to be around. At the end of the day, if he's come on here three times in this six-week experience, she is not going to just completely cut him out of her life. And it's unrealistic for him to think that.

“I don't think he should have brought her to the top two without getting a straight answer, even though she said she would end it. It’s weird.”

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Cat’s sentiments echo those of fellow Bachelor star Florence Alexandra, who previously told Yahoo Lifestyle “there's no way in hell” Jessica and Felix’s relationship would ever work.

“There is no way that you become the Bachelor only to pick a girl who is already in a relationship with a dude who's also been on the show and who is super committed to this girl and will probably fight you,” she said.

“I'm over it. She doesn't know what she wants and she never has a straight answer to any question. The show is not about you. This is not personal, because I do think she seems nice and she's a lovely girl, but what are you doing here? Anyone who doesn't know what they want shouldn't be winning or shouldn't be on The Bachelor. This is not the environment, especially not when there's an engagement at the end. It just doesn't make sense.”

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