“The ‘Golden Bachelor’ Unveils Its Most Dramatic Villain in Years”

Fans who tuned into The Golden Bachelor for a more wholesome experience have been thrown a curveball with the most on-the-nose Bachelor villain in years: Nicolle Kate Briscoe.

Nicolle (yes, with two Ls!) is a 64-year-old yoga instructor from Miami Beach whose journey on Mel Owens’ senior season began with classic villain edit behavior. She aggressively tried to steal one-on-one time with Mel, 66, and shamelessly made out with him in front of other women at pool parties.

On the Wednesday, October 8, episode of the ABC show, however, she turned things up a notch by flat out saying she wasn’t on the show for — gasp! — the right reasons.

“I told myself from the beginning, I’m not dating Mel. I’m dating America,” Nicolle whispered to a costar on Wednesday’s episode. “I’m dating everybody watching and not watching. That gives you exposure like you’ve never had.”

The show then cut to a loud and proud Nicolle teaching her fellow contestants how to become influencers after joining Bachelor Nation.

“We’re going to have Housewives status,” she declared.

Things got nasty when she dragged the OG Golden Bachelor cast with her commentary.

“Now, we’re not on for season after season after season the way Housewives of Beverly Hills or OC or whatever is, but if they’re smart with the way the publicity goes with our beautiful — I’m sorry but the last cast, they weren’t so great looking …” she said before describing her own social media goals. “My Instagram is mostly just healthy, plant-based recipes, but I would love to be a spokeswoman for mid-life, beauty products or health-oriented products. I would become more and more of an influencer.”

While the edit didn’t show many of the reactions from the women, one cast member was heard saying, “I just want a nice guy.”

Listen, we’re not saying that it’s a new concept for Bachelor/Bachelorette contestants (of any age) to be looking for some fame after appearing on reality TV, but the least they can do is pretend to be interested in the lead!

In fact, the winners in most couples across the franchise admit that they weren’t totally convinced the show would work (and/or were slightly more invested in the travel, making friends or yes, exposure) but they at least gave it a shot and could say finding love (albeit often temporary) was a bonus.

And if Nicolle committing a Bachelor sin wasn’t enough, later in the episode, she took full credit for the lemon bars that several members of the group made for Mel. To quote Stephanie Tanner (she has two adult children, I’m sure she caught a few episodes of Full House) — how rude!

While we will have to wait to see how Nicolle reacts to the show fully exposing her influencer dreams (I hope she learns her own lemon bar recipe if she plans on sharing one!), her comments about the backlash to her actions in the first few episodes (which again, harmless and classic if you ask Us!) indicate that she won’t be too worried.

“Ultimately, I didn’t give a s***,” she said. “I really didn’t. I was having fun. It’s my journey. It’s my story, and they should have theirs. And I honestly feel like they were just really jealous.”

The Golden Bachelor airs on ABC Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.