The 'Honey Badger' Nick Cummins has hit back at the backlash he's received over starring on The Bachelor Australia, saying it's "cut the wind out of his sails".
The former Wallabies star has returned to Australia after a holiday in Papua New Guinea and was not his normal jovial self during an interview with The Sunday Project.
"I've never been in a mental space as low as I have been on that show, especially towards the end of it," Nick said.
When asked if he had been suffering depression, Nick replied: "Everything".
"With injuries and stuff, like career-ending injuries where you get told, 'you're done', six months in a bloody wheelchair... all that stuff doesn't compare to what you actually have to go through on something like [The Bachelor]."
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He also called his final decision to dump both final contestants "a moment of darkness, a moment of weakness", but insisted it was the right choice.
Nick claims he was disconnected to the media while in Papua New Guinea, but coming back to Australia was hit with a deluge of tabloid coverage that had a major effect on him.
"I consider myself a pretty upbeat, energetic dude and all of a sudden you get the wind cut out of your sails."
Many headlines have suggested Nick is in a relationship following the conclusion of The Bachelor. When asked directly by The Sunday Project if he was in a relationship with Brooke, Nick said: "I'm happy to bring out that I'm not having a baby with Cass, I'm not engaged to Britt and I haven't forgotten to feed Brooke's parakeet".
"No, none of that is happening."
Nick also took to Instagram to thank fans for their support and to further explain his situation.
"Gidday guys. Look, I've just come back from the jungle, turned me phone on and holy strewth - the thing nearly blew up," he said.
"There's been a lot of heat. A lot of press and a lot of exaggeration... There's a lot of complexities in this reality TV show that people aren't aware of. There's a lot of pressure that the girls and myself are under to get this desired fairytale ending.
"Right now, my phone's been ringing, I've been getting some good support from the public and some nice messages from the girls on the show. So let's put it all behind us now and blaze into the rest of 2018."
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Nick ended his The Sunday Project with a message to Brittany and Sophie, the last two women he rejected on The Bachelor Australia. He was sad that the media had "squashed" the "natural progression" of his friendship with them both.
"I'm here if you need to call me to get any questions answered and get anything off your chest."
Brittany and Sophie both took to Instagram on Sunday - but neither responded to Nick.
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