Yahoo Lifestyle 
Locky Gilbert and Irena Srbinovska react to The Bachelors 2023 finale
The Bachelor season 8 couple Locky Gilbert and Irena Srbinovska sat down with Yahoo Lifestyle to unpack The Bachelors 2023 finale.
Video transcript
LOCKY GILBERT: That's come from me. I know exactly when someone loves attention, cause I love attention.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Oh, I know you do.
LOCKY GILBERT: And she loves attention.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- --sort of into this journey as a couple in, technically, an open relationship. But at this point in time, like, I just feel like you probably deserve someone that is completely all in.
Biggest excuse, like-- that you can give anyone to break up.
--And--
LOCKY GILBERT: You deserve better.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yeah. It's me, not you.
LOCKY GILBERT: Thanks for making the TV show, like, ridiculous.
- --like you, and I care for you so, so, so much, I just don't--
LOCKY GILBERT: Then if you did, you wouldn't have went on the bloody show.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Oh, don't even start me on that.
- I guess where my head is at is, you know, that I do want to explore things with Felix.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Ugh, I've had an issue with this from day dot. Their whole narrative has taken up the entire season. And every single other person on the show has suffered as a result of Jess and her relationship with Damian. And if--
LOCKY GILBERT: We shouldn't even know who Damien is.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Why is Damien--
LOCKY GILBERT: Like, I just-- I just don't-- I was like--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: --Jessica's show.
LOCKY GILBERT: It was--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: It's not her show. It's not "The Bachelorette."
LOCKY GILBERT: But that's the problem. Like, that's why I think if they went with three guys, like, and just went with that, like, they just tried to do too much again. And in previous seasons, they tried to do too many different levels. And it's just like--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yeah.
LOCKY GILBERT: --when it goes down to it, like, the viewer just wants to watch people fall in love.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yeah.
LOCKY GILBERT: Like, that's the sole reason we watch is don't throw in a, like, polyamorous. Like, I've got nothing against it.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Whatever, that's got nothing to do with it.
LOCKY GILBERT: But it's not-- it's not "The Bachelor." Like, it is-- like, it's so funny because as the Bachelor, like, you were in a polyamorous relationship. But it's-- you're forced into this relationship on "The Bachelor." Like, that's what it is. But then to bring a polyamorous relationship into that, it just-- it just didn't-- it didn't wor-- and like you said, you're just like, well, I want to know the other girls. I want to meet-- and it was-- I was kind of getting pissed off at Felix cause you were talking about--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yes
LOCKY GILBERT: --talking about her to the girls and saying, you never talk to-- you never talk to the girls about another girl. When you're sitting down with one of the girls, you give them 100%. As soon as you bring up another girl that's-- if she woke up and she-- to me, and is like, oh, hey, I've got a boyfriend. I'm like, all right, cool, pack your bags, you out. Like, power to you, but that's not what I'm into.
And if you're into it now, you're definitely gonna be into it later, which she will be. And I would've been like, I'm not-- I'm here to find my future wife, which I did. But that just complicates it. I'm like-- like, that's where it's hard. Because I think Felix was stuck in the, oh, shit, if I get rid of her, I'm gonna get, like, drilled for getting rid of her. But I would've have been like, bro, just do-- you're there for you.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: No. Like, I think it's obvious that Felix has genuine feelings for Jess. Like-- and, like, of course you would. Like, look at her, she's beautiful. She's sweet. Like, you know, she's got many good qualities.
LOCKY GILBERT: The amount of time she, like, looked at the camera.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: I know. like, you know, obviously, there's a part of her that loves the attention. And that's something--
LOCKY GILBERT: [LAUGHS] That's come from me. I know exactly when someone loves attention, cause I love attention.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Oh, I know you do.
LOCKY GILBERT: And she loves attention.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: But I think it was just unfair to the other girls.
LOCKY GILBERT: Yeah.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: I think that's my biggest problem.
LOCKY GILBERT: Like, Thomas, I want more Thomas. And if you swapped out bloody, what's his name, Damien and gave me more Thomas, it would have been an amazing season, but too much Damien, not enough Thomas.
- I'm so sorry, you're not the one.
- OK.
- That's all good. And I'm glad you found the one for you. Leah is so amazing, and I love her to death. And I just want you to be happy.
- Thank you.
- So, yeah, I'm really happy for you, Thomas.
LOCKY GILBERT: Thanks, bye, see you later.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: That was--
LOCKY GILBERT: Yeah, that was--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: --two seconds. That's so unfair.
LOCKY GILBERT: And it's so annoying because she's really nice, and there for the right reasons, and wants to find love. And I think if Thomas was just the Bachelor and you met-- you went with the journey with Lauren and Leah--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: See, Lauren would be the sort of person that they would get for a bachelorette. She would--
LOCKY GILBERT: Yeah, but, no, now I know why.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: But we don't know her.
LOCKY GILBERT: But now-- well, they might. They're gonna have, probably, seven bachelorettes next time.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: We know from experience that things that look like they were 10 seconds, were longer.
LOCKY GILBERT: Yeah.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: So they had longer. It di-- like, the viewers out there, they'll be like, oh my God, why he let her down really harshly. That was so quick. That would have been longer, a longer conversation. But clearly, they had to cut it to fit in Jess and Damien once again.
LOCKY GILBERT: David's breakup got more air time than Lauren. And I liked Lauren. Like, I thought--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: I like Lauren.
LOCKY GILBERT: --cause she was genuine. She was there for the right reasons. Damien was there because he was banging some chick that was on "Bachelor," and didn't want to lose her, and was extremely controlling. He was very-- I know, Damien, if you watching, man, I'm sorry, but you-- you weird.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Oh.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- Leah--
- Wow.
- --I'm absolutely in love with you.
- Aw.
- I literally love every single thing about you. And--
- Grab her hand. You should've grabbed her hand and talked to her.
- --few weeks. But I know that you're the one. I want to just experience every single day of my life with you. I want to be spontaneous with you.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: I want to have sex with you.
LOCKY GILBERT: [LAUGHS]
- [INAUDIBLE] life--
LOCKY GILBERT: What are you guys gonna do now, sex?
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Aw.
- Next time that I do. Will you marry me?
- Yes.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: He just missed the box opening.
LOCKY GILBERT: He did it-- here. It was so sweet. But he had to hold the head and then do the thing. But it was--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Did you do that?
LOCKY GILBERT: When we got married--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: When we got engaged?
LOCKY GILBERT: --got en-- yeah.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: I can't remember back. It was all a blur. Ugh, Leah, finally. Loved Lauren. Like, I think--
LOCKY GILBERT: Yeah, I thought it was gonna be Lauren.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Did you?
LOCKY GILBERT: Who did I think it was gonna be?
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: The blonde one.
LOCKY GILBERT: Hmm.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Ah. I thought it was gonna be Leah from day dot. But I also liked Lauren, but loved Leah. I think they had a very strong connection. And I just didn't want to see her heart broken. She just seemed like she'd gone through so much.
- [INAUDIBLE]. Like, yeah, I think Lauren was the best one to get rejected. She was very mature and--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: But very strong as well. But Leah was super invested.
LOCKY GILBERT: Mm-hmm
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Like, she was in love with him. And you couldn't--
LOCKY GILBERT: She said yes, didn't she?
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Well, Yes. But, like, you know, in the lead up to her--
LOCKY GILBERT: Hmm.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Cause that's the thing, like, you put yourself out there and you say how you feel. And, you know, then, like, for-- at the end, you know, to be rejected, it's hard. Like, you put your life out there and your feelings, and you're so vulnerable. And she just was so open to him about how she felt and, ugh, super sweet, so happy for them. Congratulations.
LOCKY GILBERT: Yeah, congratulations guys.
- I do have to interrupt, because they have since broken up.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: No, they haven't. Ugh.
LOCKY GILBERT: None of them are together, are they?
- Yeah, none of them are still together.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Really? That's the thing, like, viewers get invested. Like, we watched "The Bachelor" for a love story. Like, that's the whole, you know, idea for the show. We want to fall in love with the couples. And I fell in love with them.
- I mean, I told you I was falling in love with you and you said the same thing.
- Yeah, my feelings for you have always been real. I've just had to-- the practicality of my-- my work is something that I have to think about.
LOCKY GILBERT: Such a cop-out, Jed, just be honest.
- I just think he deserves someone that's gonna be more present. And I don't think I can--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: That's up to her, not you.
- And there is someone else also. And it's not that I don't have feelings for you. It's just, moving forward, I've just had to weigh up, like, a lot of things.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Oh, no.
- This is-- I don't even know how to focus.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: I love her.
- --on-- on this.
LOCKY GILBERT: I would like to sit down.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: I know, right? Sit down, in the churdh.
LOCKY GILBERT: Have a seat. She would have, like, aw, rough.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Oh my God, and we both were crying at the hometown, with her dad talking about seeing his daughter happy. We're both tearing up. So sweet, she's beautiful. And I think he's made the worst decision of picking her up. I don't know, I--
LOCKY GILBERT: You got to get along with the parents, though. And he got along with her parents, where the other one was like-- what was I going to say? My daughter's very conservative. It's like, mm-hmm.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Well, no, the talking things--
LOCKY GILBERT: There's two things to talk about every time she walks out, so not too conservative.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: You're terrible.
LOCKY GILBERT: Just saying.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: I think they had a really strong connection from their little tennis game. And then her grandfather was there. It was just so cute. It was just, everything was perfect. And--
LOCKY GILBERT: It was, [INAUDIBLE].
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: They live close together already. They're both in Melbourne. There were so many things going for them.
LOCKY GILBERT: I don't like that. That's why. Because that's one of the main things for all the Bachelor couples is like, oh, we're in different states. And to live just around the corner from each other, that's like a big tick in the box.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: You asked me, like-- literally, the first thing you ask me, would you move?
LOCKY GILBERT: No. You said, I would like to move. I swear, because I ain't moving out of Perth.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: You wouldn't even living in Perth. I was living in Bali, yeah.
LOCKY GILBERT: Yeah.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Oh my God, why are you proposing?
- Oh, my God.
- Alicia.
- Oh, my God.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: No.
- (WHISPERING) Oh, my God.
LOCKY GILBERT: I think it's so disrespectful to her.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yeah.
- Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
LOCKY GILBERT: Clearly, he didn't do this.
- I don't know what to say.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: She told you time and time again, do not propose. She was so explicit about it. And I think, like, for him to selfishly propose was going against her wishes. And, yes, he said, I feel like I need to propose because I'll always be thinking about what if. There is no what if. She said it's no.
LOCKY GILBERT: And he should've just-- he should've have just come out and be like, hey, I know-- I know you don't want to be proposed to, but I feel like I've really got to know you. And this is a very special moment for both of us. But can this be a promise ring?
Like-- or just, like, he wanted to give a ring. She didn't want to get proposed to. Meet in the middle, a promise ring, which it ended up being anyway. Like, might have felt pressure to do it. He might have been like, I've got this thousand thousand dollar ring. Like, I have to use it. But, yeah, he just should have respected her wishes and, just, shouldn't have proposed.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yeah. I think he should've had a little bit more respect for her and not done it.
LOCKY GILBERT: Mm.
- You make me feel so special.
LOCKY GILBERT: (WHISPERING) Yes, I won.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: She makes every man feel special.
LOCKY GILBERT: Literally.
- You really do.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Why is he crying?
- You make me feel so special.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: He's too in love with her. This is just not right.
LOCKY GILBERT: Cause that's what she does. Well, I think-- I'll tell you at the end. This year's kissing was terrible.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Why is he wearing white sneakers?
LOCKY GILBERT: Yeah, [INAUDIBLE].
- You know, I loved all that--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: That just throws the whole-- look at that. Like, what a great picture that is.
LOCKY GILBERT: In white sneakers.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Of the two of them making out. And all I see is white sneakers. Anyway, she must--
LOCKY GILBERT: She knew she was going to win from the get go. Cause Felix was-- Felix was too easily--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Gullible.
LOCKY GILBERT: --manipulated. She just knew exactly what to say to him about what's gonna happen after. Like, well, we're gonna-- this is gonna happen, all this stuff. And I think Felix was just, like, caught up in it--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yeah, but then strong enough too--
LOCKY GILBERT: Which can really, really happen. And I think he may have had two options. One was, like, all right, this girl, she wants a serious relationship. There's probably marriage. There's probably kids. This is, like, life. Not normal, it's not gonna be normal. But that's like, this is what a proper relationship is. And then he had Jess, which was like, oh my God, it's we're gonna do this. It's gonna to be amazing. We're gonna, like, talk to these people. It's gonna to be, like, all glitz and glamor.
And he just got drawn to the glitz and glamor, where I think most, like, times, there's always like, one of the final chicks is very stable, is like a mother. And that's-- there's always two paths. And unfortunately, he went to that one and it didn't work out for him. So I feel sorry for him.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Abigail was just so lovely.
LOCKY GILBERT: Mm-hmm.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Like, she was-- from their first meeting--
LOCKY GILBERT: She was too smart for him, way too smart.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: She was very smart like, very-- no, not smart. What's the word I'm-- mature for her age. I couldn't belie--
LOCKY GILBERT: How old was she?
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: She was 26, 27, very mature. The way that she spoke, like, speaking, she's got a lot of emotional intelligence.
LOCKY GILBERT: Mm-hmm
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: You knew where she stood, knew what she wanted, was very clear, wasn't afraid to call people out on their crap, like her conversation with Jeff.
LOCKY GILBERT: Exactly what she said at the end. She's like, well, the fact that he wants to be a part of that drama, that's not someone I want to be with. So it wasn't even like, oh, if he did pick her, she just found out, well, you're into that drama. So I don't want to be with you anyway.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yeah.
LOCKY GILBERT: So she was very mature in that--
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Yeah. And, Yeah, I agree with that. I think that she-- she's gonna go and find someone who's amazing--
- No taking chances as well, hey, Abigail?
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: No, I agree.
LOCKY GILBERT: See, don't come running back. Don't you play [INAUDIBLE] on us.
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: No, I agree. And I've got to ask the same. I've got to ask if, well, he doesn't pick you--
LOCKY GILBERT: What would you answer?
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: No way. I'm sorry, if you reject me and then you go and have your phone, and then I'm not gonna be sitting there waiting and going, hey, hey, I'm still here in love with you. No, the ship sailed.
LOCKY GILBERT: Lucky I picked you, eh?
IRENA SRBINOVSKA: Lucky you picked me?