From the outset, this year's Bachelor Matt Agnew seems picture perfect. But new reports released this week suggest Agnew isn't as flawless as viewers may have been led to believe. It's been reported that before appearing on the reality TV franchise, Matt fell in love with a Swedish professor he met while studying abroad.

“Matt had a steamy fling with his tutor while he was doing his Master’s in Sweden,” an insider said. “It started out as a bit of fun but before it was time to leave he’d developed genuine and deep feelings for her. Obviously, Matt and his mystery lady had astrophysics in common and were at the same level intellectually."

While Matt and his former flame are finished, reports are claiming he still harbours feelings for her. “She is on his mind a lot. This whole process of finding love on TV has really brought back those emotions and it’s made him feel torn about some of the decisions he has made," a source said.

"Of course, they talked about the what-ifs – but there was so much stacked against them. Applying for The Bachelor was a distraction, really.”