After a trailer for the highly anticipated season of Bachelor in Paradise showed the first footage of Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson together on the ABC set, Jackson responded by encouraging, “Roll the tape.”
In an interview with ET, the reality star said, “I’m glad footage of that day is being shown. I’ve always stuck to my truth and said, ‘Roll the tape.'” He then added, “This is a victory for all men who have been falsely accused.”
On Thursday, Olympios called part of Jackson’s response “false and misleading.”
“As DeMario is well aware, the footage that was in the promo was not of the encounter that caused production to be shutdown,” read a statement released via Olympios‘ rep, Stan Rosenfield. “The encounter that caused production to be shut down took place much later in the day, and was in a hot tub, not a pool.”
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Warner Bros. Television, which produces the hit ABC franchise, has already confirmed the tape of the actual incident will not be aired.
The promo, which dropped during Monday’s finale of The Bachelorette, showed the beginnings of a sexual encounter between the two contestants, who had both been drinking. Olympios and Jackson are seen together in the resort’s pool “30 minutes into Paradise,” according to another contestant. Footage then shows an ABC producer interrupting the cast after the fact, telling the camera, “Cut it. Cut it,” and asking Olympios separately, “Can I steal you for a minute?”
WBTV launched an on-set investigation when a producer filed a misconduct allegation the following day. After a near two-week probe, the studio concluded that no misconduct took place and continued production on the upcoming fourth season, which premieres next Monday and Tuesday.
ABC previously confirmed that the controversy will be addressed head-on during the season’s two-night premiere. Host Chris Harrison will open the season by touching on the shutdown, and a “thought-provoking conversation” between the host and the cast on what happened will air on Tuesday’s episode.
“I think publicly everyone is going to want us to come out and say, ‘We’ve changed everything!’ and that it will be earth-shattering,” Harrison previously told The Hollywood Reporter about viewer expectations. “We’ve really learned from our mistakes, but there really weren’t any major mistakes made.”
In the Thursday statement, Olympios also responded to Jackson’s “falsely accused” comment.
“As DeMario is well aware, and was noted in the ET follow-up post, Corinne has never leveled any accusations at DeMario,” said her rep.
After WBTV resumed filming, Olympios dropped her own investigation days later. No charges were ever filed. Neither star returned to filming when the cameras turned back on, but they will sit down with Harrison and make appearances during the cast reunion.
A rep for Jackson did not respond to a request for comment.
