Matilda Rice is a viewer favourite. Photo / Mediaworks
Matilda Rice is a viewer favourite. Photo / Mediaworks
A contestant on the reality television dating show The Bachelor works for the company that screens the show.
Matilda Rice, a viewer favourite, is an employee of MediaWorks that owns TV3 - the channel the show is screened on.
The show is produced is by Eyeworks, a subsidiary of US-based Warner Bros which owns the format, that is responsible for screening contestants.
Rice, a 24-year-old Aucklander, describes herself in her Twitter profile as "Account Executive at MediaWorks, and Bachelorette". She received the first rose from the man she is fighting a handful of other New Zealand women for, Orakei businessman Arthur (Art) Green, 26.
When Rice qualified for the show MediaWorks was informed and it was decided not to exclude her as "she entered in good faith" and was not subject to the Eyeworks and Warner Bros rules, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Her position with the company did not give her a competitive advantage, MediaWorks said.
On the show and in supplementary promotional material, Rice's occupation is listed as "media sales executive".
She is not the first contestant whose background has come under scrutiny.
Two of the contestants, Danielle Robinson and Danielle Le Gallais, have criminal convictions.
MediaWorks revealed last week that Ms Robinson had a drink-driving conviction after the Herald reported that Ms Le Gallais was jailed for 18 months for stealing nearly $40,000 from her employer in 2005.
Bachelor contestant Dani declared a drink-driving conviction to the production company prior to selection for the show. Photo/ Mediaworks
Ms Le Gallais was also charged over returning goods to The Warehouse not bought there in exchange for cash, giving police a false name and having an incorrect driver's licence.
The show's makers were unaware of her criminal past.
MediaWorks said last week it was reviewing the management of its reality shows after a string of controversies.
It is also reviewing the way it chooses and vets contestants amid fierce criticism from one of the show's key sponsors.
Show sponsor Lindauer said: "We are extremely disappointed with MediaWorks and their production company as we explicitly requested that full background checks be carried out on all contestants as part of our conditions ..."
Production company EyeWorks was tasked with doing checks on the 21 women vying for Green's attention.
Danielle Le Gallais was jailed for 18 months for stealing nearly $40,000 from her employer in 2005. Photo / Mediaworks
MediaWorks said that while Le Gallais did not declare her conviction, Robinson had acted correctly in declaring her conviction and the crime was not seen as affecting her place on the show.
Last week the company dumped X Factor judges Natalia Kills and Willy Moon for bullying a contestant.
The show was also criticised for downplaying the role of a contestant in a manslaughter case.
