Brooke Blurton has opened up about how Jackie ‘O’ Henderson inspired her during her time on The Bachelorette and also discussed her relationship with her ex G Flip.
The 29-year-old reality TV star first appeared as a single woman on The Bachelor before rising to mainstream fame as the first out LGBTQ+ and First Nations Bachelorette in 2021.
She has previously spoken about how she pushed for equal pay as her male colleagues, and has now revealed how Jackie, 49, inspires her to always stand up for him.
Brooke said it has been “difficult” to speak out about pay disparities in the industry, citing Jackie openly discussing the gender pay gap on her own and Kyle Sandilands’ radio show.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail Australia while promoting her partnership with Francesca Jewellery for NAIDOC Week, Brooke shared: “I think all women should have the same pay regardless of…
‘Someone who has really inspired me is Jackie O, she should definitely be paid the same as Kyle.
“For me, that’s a motivation for when opportunities arise, to have the same rights as male talent. It’s been difficult to talk about that in the industry before.”
Jackie has often been vocal about pay issues at her radio show, KIIS FM, and quit the role earlier this year after learning it had the biggest gender pay gap among Australian radio networks.
Brooke Blurton, who has partnered with Francesca Jewellery, spoke to Daily Mail Australia about how Jackie ‘O’ Henderson inspired her to earn the same salary as her male counterparts on The Bachelorette.
Brooke, who has used her fame to become an advocate for gender equality and First Nations, also spoke out about how she feels about the cancellation of The Bachelor franchise.
The reality series and its spin-offs were among a number of shows Channel Ten temporarily cancelled this year amid a round of cost-cutting at the network.
The future of the ailing broadcaster has been said to be uncertain as it continues to lose TV shows amid falling ratings and an advertising revenue crisis.
Brooke admitted it’s “sad” to see the franchise leave screens and pointed out how the popularity of streaming services like Netflix has sent TV channels into a tailspin.
She shared: ‘Throughout The Bachelor series, there have been so many beautiful people and it’s given us a great showcase of great Australian talent and Australian public figures and people who are now doing great things.
“It’s a bit sad to see it close, but I guess there’s a huge demand for more streaming services. Conventional TV is in short supply at the moment and streaming services are what matters.”
Jackie has been vocal about pay issues at her show’s station, KIIS FM, and stepped down this year after learning it had the biggest gender pay gap among Australian radio networks.
Following the closure of The Bachelor, Channel Ten also faced another hurdle when it was forced to stop broadcasting in Mildura due to rising costs, with fears the channel could close in more Australian states amid the difficulties.
Brooke insisted she doesn’t think the future of free-to-air television is in trouble and said there is still a huge audience for live TV, rather than people who just tune in online.
She said: “I feel like there’s a very older generation that still watches TV. It may not cater to all demographics, but there’s still a need for mainstream, free-to-air TV. We’ve gone so many years without TV that it would be sad to give it up!”
She added that she’s not worried about what The Bachelor host Osher Günsberg will do next, saying, “I’m sure in a matter of time we’ll see him doing fabulous things.”
Brooke became a household name on Channel Ten’s The Bachelorette, where she appeared as the female lead looking for love, and left the show with Darvid Garayeli.
However, the pair went their separate ways shortly after, and Brooke has now given some insight into her love life since leaving the reality matchmaking series.
In December, Brooke confirmed she dated non-binary drummer G Flip, 30, in 2021 and shared how they have maintained a close friendship ever since.
Brooke also spoke about her “sadness” over the cancellation of The Bachelor franchise by troubled Channel 10, but said she’s not worried about what “talented” host Osher Günsberg will do next.
She said of their bond: ‘G and I are still really good friends, we talk all the time. That’s the great thing about the LGB community, just because we hung out for a split second doesn’t mean we can’t be friends afterwards or keep talking and have such a positive, healthy relationship.
“Probably one of the best things about being part of the LGB community is the acceptance and love that exists there. Every now and then we communicate, we talk, we say hello.”
Brooke also showed her support for G Flip’s marriage to Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause as she gushed over the couple’s “beautiful” relationship.
“They’re breaking music records and their relationship with Chrishell is so beautiful,” she continued.
“It’s so aspirational, their kind of love and commitment to each other and doing long-distance relationships and stuff like that.”
As for her love life, Brooke said she is single but not dating, and is instead focusing on studying acting, with hopes of creating a Heartbreak High-style show in the future to tell First Nations stories.
Brooke also opened up about her relationship with her ex G Flip, whom she dated in 2021, revealing that they still have a very close and “healthy” friendship.
She revealed: ‘I’m married to my job! I used to hate that saying, but it’s not like I don’t have hope anymore, I really do, but sadly it hasn’t been a huge priority for me. I have everything I need, so I guess I’ve found love elsewhere.
‘I found joy in having my dog (Cobar), he gives me so much and I can’t even get a text back from a guy!
“How the fuck can a thing that doesn’t talk or speak give you so much love and a guy can’t even text you? It’s embarrassing!”
She also ruled out returning to another reality dating show and promised her fans will never see her making an explosive entrance on Love Island.
“I don’t like being in a bikini, so I wouldn’t go on any Love Island,” she shared.
‘I’m also having a hard time flirting these days, I don’t know how to flirt, so I think my dating days are over.’
Brooke was a fan favorite on season 7 of The Bachelorette, but she confessed that she didn’t think she would be “interesting” when she first joined the franchise.
“I honestly thought when I started The Bachelor that it wasn’t going to be that interesting,” she shared.
‘I was so obsessed with sports and having a healthy lifestyle that that was the only thing that really mattered to me.’
Brooke also showed her support for G Flip’s marriage to Selling Sunset star Chrishell Stause (both pictured), as she gushed over their “beautiful” relationship.
She admitted that she felt some “pressure” being the first out LGBTQ+ and Indigenous Bachelorette because she wanted to successfully represent her communities.
“Looking back on it now, I felt a lot of pressure to make the season a huge success, not just from a networking position, but more from an advocacy and representation position,” she shared.
‘I’m not just representing the queer community, but also First Nations people. That comes with a lot of responsibility. I just tried to do the best I could and be as genuine and authentic as I could in that experience.
‘We all know that television can be very absorbing and there are articles where people talk about the lack of support for their mental health during different shows, so I tried to be as transparent as possible with that.
‘I tried to do the best I could while falling in love, which isn’t as easy as I thought it would be!’
Brooke has used her platform to become an advocate for First Nations and has now partnered with Francesca Jewellery for NAIDOC Commemoration Week.
She has collaborated with the brand to create a stunning charm necklace featuring the phrase ‘Stand In Your Truth’, with 10 per cent of the proceeds being donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
Brooke has collaborated with Francesca Jewellery to create a charm necklace featuring the phrase ‘Stand In Your Truth’, with 10 per cent of the proceeds being donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
She said of the collaboration: ‘Giving back to the community is so important in everything I’ve done through my career and my advocacy work.
“Francesca has made this possible, not only because it’s something that needs to be sold, but also because it’s an opportunity for people to support First Nations literacy and education. It’s a beautiful collaboration.”
“The necklace features a quote very special to my heart: ‘Stand firm in your truth,'” she continued.
“Stand in your truth” is a mantra I use to reflect on my past experiences and to inspire and empower my future. It encourages anyone to recognize where they came from and where they are going.
Brooke’s Stand In Your Truth Pendant Necklace is now available at Francesca Jewellery.