The Bachelor NZ: No reference to bachelorette's convictions

Danielle Le Gallais. Photo / TV3

TV3's The Bachelor made no reference to a contestant's fraud convictions on the first episode of the season tonight.

Danielle Le Gallais, who the Weekend Herald revealed on Saturday was sentenced to 18 months jail time for stealing from her employer, was the second woman to secure a place for the next round of the show.

Le Gallais - one of 21 bachelorettes introduced in tonight's show - told suitor Arthur Green, 26, she did not want to "omit details", sharing that she was the mother of two boys. But she made no mention of her criminal offending.

In her first scene, the 33-year-old obviously made an impression on Green as she exited a car to meet him. He described her as "a bit of a stand-out on the red carpet".

Le Gallais told Green she had given up training for an Ironman to do the show. Green, the co-owner of clean-eating business CleanPaleo, responded: "maybe you can take me for a run".

In another scene, Le Gallais made him guess her age, before telling him she was a "proud mother".

And before Green gave her the second rose of the night - signalling she was through to the next round - Le Gallais told the camera: "I was a little bit reluctant to tell him that I was [a mother]. I felt that if I didn't tell him, then I was omitting details."

"I just feel so comfortable around you, it's cool," Green told her.

The Weekend Herald revealed last week Le Gallais had fallen foul of the law several times.

Her offending in Hamilton and Auckland over a number of years included misleading the
Ministry of Social Development, driving offences, and Tenancy Tribunal cases involving thousands of dollars of rent arrears on two properties.

When approached, TV3 said it had not been aware of the offending. The show's production company Eyeworks, was responsible for vetting contestants and had failed to check Le Gallais' background, a TV3 spokeswoman said.

Eyeworks said bachelorettes were required to declare any criminal convictions and Le Gallais did not.

It is understood Le Gallais now lives overseas.

Tonight's episode follow's controversy surrounding another TV3 show, X Factor.

Judges Natalia Kills and Willy Moon were axed on Monday after they were accused of bullying contestant Joe Irvine of Sunday's live show.

The show was already under fire for letting contestant Shae Brider through to the bootcamp round. He had been convicted of manslaughter.