The Bachelor NZ: Meet the girls' mums

Bachelorette Viarni Bright, 22, and her mum Wendy Bright on her home town visit on the show. Photo / Supplied by Mediaworks

It's not just the remaining Bachelorettes that Zac Franich - the leading man on The Bachelor NZ - has been trying to win over.

As Franich looks to find love in front of the nation, he has also had to state his case to the mother's of the show's top three - Lily McManus, Viarni Bright and Claudia Hoskins - with the results to be broadcast on tonight's episode of the reality TV dating show.

Ahead of the Mother's Day special, the trio of contestants opened up to the Herald on Sunday about the huge role their respective mums played both in their life, and when it comes to finding Mr Right.

"Growing up I kind of told her [mother Wendy] everything about guys," Bright said.

"I definitely confide in her when I need to and I really trust her advice. She's a really good judge of character so if she were to have an inkling that a friend or a guy wasn't quite right she'd definitely let me know."

The 22-year-old, originally from Mount Maunganui, said her mum always told her to "trust my gut" when it came to relationships.

"I love her because she would really be there for me no matter what and I think out of my family she knows me the best."

Their close bond means Wendy trusts her daughter to make good judgements about people, and her mum supported her choice to enter The Bachelor New Zealand.

"She basically just said 'be yourself and if you like him that's awesome'. She was excited for me."

McManus' mum Belinda actually entered her daughter into the show without telling the 20-year-old.

Bachelorette Lily McManus, 20, and her mum Belinda McManus on her home town visit on the show. Photo / Supplied by Mediaworks

McManus told the Herald on Sunday she only found out she was in the running when a MediaWorks staff member contacted her.

"Then I called my mum and she was like 'oh sorry I entered you. I didn't actually think you'd get in'."

"It was quite a weird thing," she said, laughing. "It was actually very typical of my mother, so I wasn't surprised."

While McManus had reservations about going on the show at first, it turned out mum did know best after all.

McManus and Franich's bond has grown stronger in recent weeks on the show.

"She was like 'I think you'd like this kind of experience' and she was right - I've bloody loved it."

McManus said although they're different in some ways, she and her mum both love the beach, enjoy shopping together and have a similar outlook on love.

"She likes to take things slow and doesn't really like to jump into things before testing the water and I've definitely adopted that from her."

Like the other two remaining Bachelorettes, Hoskins was also excited about the chance to introduce Franich to her parents.

Bachelorette Claudia Hoskins, 21, with her mum Debbie Hoskins and dad Steve Hoskins on her hometown visit on the show. Photo / Supplied by Mediaworks

Although her mum Debbie had some reservations when Hoskins told her she was signing up for The Bachelor New Zealand, worrying she would get hurt, she supported her.

"She is really protective but she still does stand back because she wants me to make my own decisions and learn from them," she said.

"The thing I love and admire most about my mum is that she's been through so much in her life with friends and family and personal things and she still stays this lovely ball of joy that is there to support everybody."

The 21-year-old design student said she and her mum were alike - chatty and affectionate.

The best advice Debbie had given her - about both love and life in general - was: "if it's meant to happen it will", Hoskins said.

"So if you're meant to be with somebody then one day you will be with them."

The Bachelor New Zealand is on THREE at 7pm on Sundays and 7.30pm on Mondays.