Lexie Brown will meet the men vying for her heart on tonight's season two of The Bachelorette New Zealand. Photo / TVNZ
New Zealand's all-new Bachelorette is almost ready to meet her match.
Lexie Brown, 31, is a brand and marketing manager from Wellington, whose international career has had a focus on hospitality.
Brown returned from living in Canada last year and says she initially applied to be on the show as a joke — telling the casting team she urgently needed a sperm donor.
It was only when she heard back that she considered the show as a serious dating option.
"Imagine if I actually found my guy? On a bloody dating reality TV show — what are the chances?"
Brown is looking for a "relaxed-as" Kiwi guy. Will she find him among the 18 male contestants vying for her heart?
The suitors who will be vying for a rose from Lexie will include brother of first season favourite, Quinn Ryan. Quinn missed out on love in the Bachelorette but now it's his younger brother's turn. Jake Ryan, a Tauranga-based primary teacher, hopes that his experience seeing how his brother navigated the dating game in season one will give him an edge.
The show's host, Art Green, who has hosted back-to-back series of the Bachelorette after winning the first version of The Bachelor, has nothing but warm words to describe Brown.
"She's independent, well-travelled, family-oriented and intelligent," says Green.
"You can look forward to a lot of laughs, some incredible dates, some great twists (some that I didn't even see coming) and hopefully a true love story," he says.
Brown exudes a humble confidence and that, coupled with Green's vow to be more relaxed and more himself as the show's host, should see this season of The Bachelorette soften even the least romantic of hearts.
"It'll be an absolute roller coaster of a ride with loads of laughs. I can't wait to share it with New Zealand," says Brown.
The Bachelorette premieres tonight, at 7.30pm on TV2.
The director donned gumboots and a Russell Crowe T-shirt to get the festivities started.