Minneapolis’ Leslie Fhima gets frustrated on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’

There was trouble in paradise on ABC’s “Bachelor in Paradise” Monday and not just for Minnesota’s own contestant Leslie Fhima.

One female contestant left voluntarily and two women alums — one older and one younger — arrived in Costa Rica upping the competitiveness on Episode 5 in Season 10.

But first to Fhima, 66, the Minneapolis fitness instructor and the runner-up on “The Golden Bachelor” in 2023.

She was disappointed that Gary Levingston, 66, with whom she had been getting cozy, got asked on a date by Nancy Hulkower, 62, a new arrival in last week’s episode and a competitor with Fhima on “The Golden Bachelor.”

“I came in this whole experience really positive. Until today,” Fhima said, when Levingston accepted Hulkower’s invite. “I saw a little spark. I thought potentially this [with Levingston] could be something. But what’s happening now, I’m just a little bit nervous. I’m trying to get it out of my head.”

After Levingston and Hulkower’s date involving a “cacao ceremony,” they seemed high on life and “sensual energy.”

That prompted Fhima to frown: “I have a connection with Gary. Now Gary’s had a date with Nancy. It’s hard to navigate that. I really just want to find my person. If he chooses Nancy, I could definitely go home.”

“I don’t feel like this anymore,” she said as she packed her suitcase.

The centerpiece of Monday’s program was the birds of paradise mating dance in which the male contestants dressed up in feathers and makeup (as did the females) and shook their tail feathers to try to attract a mate.

Brian Autz, 34, and Parisa Shifteh, 30, won the competition. Their prize was a date in the BIP VIP suite. But all didn’t go well as she asked him his favorite color as they cuddled in a pool and he preferred romance to talking. Oops, a little new trouble in paradise.

The episode’s other soap opera resulted from the arrival of Allyshia Gupta, 30, from “The Bachelor” Season 29 and Miss California 2020. She captured the attention of Dale Moss, 36, which upset Kat Izzo, 29, with whom he had been coupled.