‘I Got Goosebumps’: The Bachelorette Promo Praised For Exploring Brooke Blurton’s First Nations Identity
Brooke Blurton's upcoming season of The Bachelorette Australia has been one of the most highly anticipated in the franchise's history. In a world first, the leading cast member of the reality TV dating show will be an Indigenous and bisexual woman.
The first extended look promo released recently not only gives us a glimpse into Blurton's televised love journey, but explores her First Nations identity in a way Aussie TV so often fails to do.
The clip opens with the 26-year-old standing on a sandy cliff looking out towards the ocean. "This is the land of my people, Yamatji country in Western Australia," she says in a voiceover.
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"Growing up here has made me feel very connected to the ocean. It has shaped who I am."
The camera pans around Blurton while she walks across the sand in the next scene, as she alludes to the uniqueness of her season where both men and women will appear in a bid to win her heart.
"I would love to share my life with someone special," she says. "For me, true love is all about making a soul connection, no matter who they are."
As the clip is about to come to an end, she walks towards a shiny black car, before turning to the camera as her voiceover projects, "I have so much love to give and I am so ready to find that special someone to give it to."
Since it was announced earlier this year, Blurton's casting has been praised by viewers including many from the First Nations community who have called it a positive step towards greater Indigenous representation on TV.
The new promo has been just as well-received, especially because it explores Blurton's cultural identity without appearing tokenistic, according to Carly Williams.
Williams, who is a descendant of the Quandamooka peoples from Minjerribah (North Strabroke Island), has not been a dedicated viewer of The Bachelorette series since it started in Australia in 2015, but is keen to tune in to this season after seeing the promo.
"I actually had goosebumps," Williams told Refinery29 Australia about her reaction to watching Blurton speak about her connection to the land in the teaser clip.
Blurton is familiar to fans of the franchise after appearing on Nick 'Honeybadger' Cummins' season of The Bachelor in 2018. She placed third after deciding to voluntarily leave the mansion and went on to appear on Bachelor In Paradise in 2019.
The Bachelorette Australia will premiere on Wednesday, October 20 at 7:30pm on Channel 10.