SAS Australia exclusive: 'Broken' Ali 'didn't want to discuss' split

Bachelorette turned SAS contestant Ali Oetjen has opened up about her shattering break up on the heels of her brutal interrogation on SAS Australia this evening.

Ali appeared distraught while discussing her recent break up with Bachelorette boyfriend Taite Hadley with SAS staff on this evening’s episode, where she was left in tears while she discussed leaving her ‘soul-mate’ behind.

Ali Oetjen cries over break up on SAS Australia
Ali is set to break down over her breakup on tonight's episode of SAS Australia. Photo: Seven

Ali earlier revealed to Yahoo Lifestyle that she called it quits with boyfriend of two years Taite just days before she went into a mandatory two week quarantine period for shooting the show, an experience that left her feeling ‘broken’ as she headed into the gruelling challenge.

Ali says interrogation was ‘extremely hard’

Now the 34-year-old has revealed to Yahoo Lifestyle that she never wanted to discuss the breakup on the show in the first place, not wishing to cause ‘more pain’.

“It was extremely hard because first of all I didn’t want to chat about it, and especially I didn’t want to chat about it on national TV because then everyone has their own points of view,” she says.

Ali Oetjen break up with Taite Radley
Ali says she didn't want to talk about the break up, but couldn't avoid it. Photo: Seven

“I didn’t want to create any more pain around the breakup, I didn’t want to bring it up. It was all so fresh for me, I could hardly even process what was going on in my mind. I was feeling really, mentally not as strong as I would normally be.”

Ali’s comments came ahead of her ex Taite revealing to the Daily Mail that he wasn’t aware that she had spoken about the break up on the show, and that 'it would have been nice to hear it from her’.

Ali says though she was reluctant to discuss it, she realises ‘it was something that had to be raised’ to explain her predicament on the show.

“That was the number one thing that was going on in my life, it had happened 2 weeks ago,” she points out.

“I only let the DS kn ow what my situation was, no details about it and nothing to hurt him or me any further.”

Image of Ali on SAS Australia as her break up is discussed in 'extremely hard' interrogation
Ali broke up with Taite just two weeks before starting the show. Photo: Seven

Now living on the Sunshine Coast where she is focusing on her career as a wellness coach, Ali reflected that the relationship breaks down wasn’t necessarily final, saying the door may not be permanently closed.

“We don’t know what's going to happen in the future so I can’t say that [the relationship] is closed or open,” she says.

She says the pair parted on sad, but loving terms.

“When we said goodbye for the last time we hugged and kissed each other and said I love you and that was it,” Ali says. “That’s why it was so friggin hard because it was… that’s the way it ended.”

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