Three spoils The Bachelor by posting early exit interview

Claudia, Viarni and Lily share a hug after Hannah was eliminated during the last episode of The Bachelor. An exit interview with one of these three has been shared early by Three.

A tearful contestant has said goodbye to The Bachelor star Zac Franich - a full four days before her elimination episode is due to air.

The woman's "heart wrenching" two-and-a-half-minute exit interview was posted to Three's streaming website and Three Now app overnight in an apparent mistake by the network.

The NZ Herald has chosen not to name the contestant. The clip was removed from Three Now shortly after 8.30am.

An exit interview for episode 17 of The Bachelor was available for viewing on the Three Now app.

Three said the video was posted by accident and apologised to fans for spoiling the episode.

It called the mistake a "monumental error".

"It has been brought to our attention that an elimination interview has been made available online before its intended date. It has since been removed.

"Three would like to apologise to fans for this monumental error. We are reviewing processes to make sure this doesn't happen again."

The woman's elimination isn't set to air until Monday night.

This week, Hannah was sent home, leaving three contestants in the running for Zac Franich's heart: Viarni, Claudia and Lily.

Three's early exit interview effectively names the top two who will vie for Franich in the finale, set to air on Sunday, May 21.

In her exit interview, the clearly gutted woman says she "didn't see that coming".

"If that's what his heart was telling him, that's fine," she says while sobbing in the back of a car.

"I did really like Zac. He seemed like a really good guy for me. I really liked him. I thought what Zac and I had was really cool and really special."

She also said she was "aware of the situation I was in" and that there were "two other girls".

"I think right now looking back on everything it makes me sad. I know one day I'll look back on this and be grateful that I've done this.

"It's been an amazing experience, I've loved every opportunity I've had, it's taught me so much about myself.

"I just really hate that it's ended this way."

The show started out with 19 bachelorettes, but three more "intruders" were recently introduced. All intruders have been sent home by Zac.

In Sunday night's upcoming episode, the three remaining contestants return to their hometowns. The woman's elimination will air on Monday night, after sharing "fantasy dates ... with the prospect of an overnight stay" with Franich.

In TV previews, her elimination is described as "heart wrenching".