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What happens when you put ten hot single people into a luxury villa in tropical paradise, and tell them they’re not allowed to kiss or touch each other to be in with a chance of winning $200,000? Netflix’s Too Hot To Handle is what.

The dating show is all that anyone on the internet is talking about right now, but what’s it actually like for those on it? Nicole O’Brien, who was on the first ever series of the show way back in 2020 has revealed all to Cosmopolitan UK.

This interview was first published in April 2020.

“When I signed up to the show, I thought it was going to be like Love Island. I genuinely wasn’t aware of the rules. All I knew was that I was moving to Mexico for a month to film a dating show for Netflix - I thought I was going to come out with a boyfriend! Fast forward 24 hours, and Lana dropped the bombshell: we had to abstain from anything sexual, and attempt to form emotional connections.

Netflix

“I went in looking to hook up with hot boys, and then the rules changed. It was a completely bizarre start. We were all questioning like ‘What are we doing here?!’ We were so shocked. But we quickly changed our minds and decided we had to embrace it - we were in an incredible resort, so we might as well try and get something out of the experience.”

Nicole, who’s from Cork in Ireland but lives in London, was one of four contestants from this side of the world, along with Kelz and David from London, and Chloe from Essex. “Originally, I was looking at David and thinking, ‘OK, he’s good-looking. He lives in London, maybe this could work.’ but as soon as Lana announced the rules, I had to try and maintain a different mindset.

“Of course it was hard. Your sexual nature is heightened in there - the boys have their tops off all the time and we’re in bikinis - and they picked us because we’re affectionate and sexual people. Plus, when someone tells you you can’t do something, you instantly want it more. At one point, I thought an iguana looked attractive! But there were cameras everywhere and it felt like Lana saw everything, so I wanted to stick to the rules.”

Much like Love Island, the Too Hot To Handle contestants had no contact with the outside world during their time in the ‘retreat’, and all their meals were cooked for them. One thing that was different, though, were the workshops.

“Every few days we would be asked to a workshop, which was based on how we were developing - at the beginning they were more sexual, like the bondage lesson, and then they were more emotional. The yoni challenge was my favourite - it left me feeling so empowered, even if I did laugh at the thought of taking my knickers off and putting a mirror down there initially.”

Nicole with David in the villa

Everything you see on the show, Nicole insists, is real - nothing is set up, although there were some scenes she wishes were included. “It’s filmed over a whole month, and footage is slimmed down into eight episodes - of course you don’t see everything. But there were some parts of my personal growth that were missed. David and I also had a date that wasn’t shown - we connected, but quickly realised it was more of a friendship. I was close to Bryce, too; we’re still chatting now and seeing where things go, but obviously distance is a factor with that.”

Workshops and dates aside, the contestants spent the majority of their time in the villa attempting to stay away from temptation. “We had no distractions - you’re chatting and flirting all day long. To fill time, I would do my makeup three times a day! But other than that, you’re lounging around in your bikini and basically living your best life. After the workshops, you’d be called to the Diary Room where you could vent about certain things, or be emotional if you didn’t want the other contestants to see. I definitely forgot there were cameras on me - you get so used to having a microphone or being filmed because you’re there for so long.”

What sets Too Hot To Handle apart from other dating shows is the money aspect - the $100,000 prize money (editor's note: the prize money for season 5 is $200,000) drops every time the contestants break the rules. “Of course I was pissed off when people didn’t follow Lana’s instructions - especially when I did - but we had to think, ‘OK, what if these people get married?’ There was loads of tension when people messed up, but it’s their own choice. Overall, I was understanding of the bigger picture - people were breaking the rules to genuinely try and develop their relationships.”

At the end, the prize money total sat at $75,000, which was split between the remaining participants - something which has been criticised online. “We got $7,500 each, which I put into savings. It would have been ideal if the couples who spent money didn’t get the prize money; I do think that would’ve been more fair. But Lana decided we’d all been through our own personal growth, so we split it.”

Too Hot to Handle//Netflix

Though Nicole didn’t come out of the show with a boyfriend, she says the show had a positive impact on how she views relationships. “I used to have major trust issues, and would call things off as soon as it got a bit serious. Now, I go for personality over looks, and am more open and honest with people I’m dating. Lana really worked!”

Too Hot To Handle season 5 is now streaming on Netflix.

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Dusty Baxter-Wright is an award-winning journalist and the Entertainment and Lifestyle Director at Cosmopolitan, having previously worked at Sugarscape. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work covering pop culture, careers, interiors and travel, and oversees the site’s Entertainment and Lifestyle strategy across print, digital and video. As a journalist for the best part of a decade, she has interviewed everyone from Louis Theroux and Channing Tatum to Margot Robbie and Ncuti Gatwa, while she has also spoken on Times Radio and BBC Radio. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram here.

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