Cayla gets good energy reading off The Bachelor

CAYLA Tudehope was pleasantly surprised to meet Nick Cummins on The Bachelor.

A fan of the show, both the local and overseas versions, she had expected the next Bachelor to be Bachelorette alumni Cam Cranley.

The Disney-loving firefighter was a fan favourite during Georgia Love's season and was the centre of rumours earlier this year before Cummins, also known as the 'Honey Badger', was surprisingly announced by Channel 10.

"I heard something about a football player the day we went in (to lock down for filming) and I was like no that's the biggest rumour I've ever heard," she said.

"I hadn't heard about him and I didn't know anything about him. Nick's definitely not the typical Bachelor, but I thought he had a very genuine, present energy. You could tell he was kind."

Energy is very important to the 27-year-old, who grew up in Kandanga south west of Gympie. She now lives in Coolum and works as an energy healer and crystal jewellery designer.

Rather than his impressive rugby career, it was Cummins' knowledge about crystals that impressed her.

"I gave him a rose quartz, being the crystal of love," she said.

"But he was the one who suggested that we put our intentions in it for what we wanted in the future. I thought he'd do it in his own time. It was at that moment I went 'Oh he might be spiritual'. He's like a Kinder Surprise."

After a few dating disasters, Ms Tudehope said she felt guided to apply for the show.

"I'm so old fashioned when it comes to love," she said. "I don't believe in online dating or dating apps. I believe in meeting someone in a serendipitous way."

She's one of 25 single women, nine of whom are Queenslanders, Cummins will meet in the reality dating show's season premiere on Wednesday night.