Last night, Australian TV audiences watched on with knots in their stomachs as this year's Bachelorette, Angie Kent, told fan-favourite Timm Hanly that she had fallen in love with another man - actor and fitness trainer Carlin Sterritt.
Throughout the show, Timm, a 27-year-old fire-proofer, had always been considered something of an outsider - a self-described gamble. Uncomfortable standing still, his fidgety and fun-loving nature soon endeared him to both Angie and fans of the reality TV franchise, with a majority of viewers hoping he would walk away hand-in-hand with the woman of his dreams.
Spoiler alert: he didn't.
Still, while the rejection made for incredibly tough viewing, Timm's gracious handling of it was something of a revelation for the show - and for the boys and men watching from home. This lesson in kindness perhaps felt particularly potent because .
At a time when the news cycle depictsTimm's overtly gentle and considerate reaction was a much-needed breath of fresh air; an example of men rising to a challenging - and hurtful - interaction with grace.
Angie Kent struggled to break the news to Timm Hanly. Source: Network Ten
"I do feel like you're my soulmate, I do," Angie told him, as the pair held hands in a Byron Bay rainforest.
"I feel it so much - and I love so much about you. I love everything that we've had. And a piece of me, I can't picture my life without you, I can't. I really can't."
Getting visibly emotional, Angie continued, her voice cracking: "You said to take a gamble, and I did. And I'm so happy I did. But I think a part of me..."
When she broke down crying, struggling to get the words out, Timm immediately began comforting Angie.
"Don't cry, don't cry," he repeated, kissing her forehead. "You're too good, relax. Don't be sad, be happy."
"Everything we've had is the best," Timm reassured her. "Don't cry over it, we have had the best time ever. This is the situation we're in and I'm so happy that I've met you. I've cherished every moment with you."
Then Timm did one better than comfort a distraught Angie, he vocalised his love and appreciation for Carlin - the man he's essentially been competing against this whole time.
Being rejected by someone you love is awful in the very best of circumstances - it's hard to imagine having to process it with an entire camera crew looking on, a microphone strapped to your chest, and a decent chunk of the national population watching from home.
Yet, despite being branded as a loose cannon, despite his erratic nature and party-boy attitude, Timm managed to put the very best of himself on display in the most difficult of environments; proving that sensitivity and masculinity aren't mutually exclusive, but can in fact be harmonious qualities.
And if that's the main takeaway of an Australian reality dating show in 2019, I for one am here for it.
Samuel Leighton-Dore is a writer, artist and author of How To Be A Big Strong Man.
