Bay man eliminated on opening night of The Bachelorette NZ

Napier resident Clayton Turner was not successful in his quest for love on The Bachelorette NZ. Photo / TVNZ

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One of four Hawke's Bay men on the new, inaugural series of The Bachelorette NZ has been dumped from the show on opening night.

Clayton Turner, originally from Australia but now living in Napier, was one of three to be eliminated on the first episode of the show on Monday night.

The Cairns-born graphic designer, who was looking to find love with bachelorette Lesina Nakhid-Schuster after two years of single life, was unsuccessful in his quest and sent home.

Bachelorette Lesina Nakhid-Schuster is looking for love on the inaugural series of The Bachelorette NZ. Photo / TVNZ

Nakhid-Schuster, a 32-year-old Auckland-based doctor, said Turner was a "little bit hard to connect with."

Turner, who stumbled over his words on his first meeting with Nakhid-Schuster, said he felt "a little bit devastated" to have been amongst the first to leave the show.

"I feel like I could have done a little bit more," he said upon leaving. "But, in the end it is up to her."

Turner joined Elliot Gilchrist and Tyler McKendry in leaving, as 22 bachelors became 19.

On the other end of the scale, things went very differently for fellow Hawke's Bay boys Quinn Ryan and Liam Cochrane.

Ryan, a sheet metal engineer, was the first of the men to receive a rose, giving him the all clear in his quest to find love, while Cochrane, a product development manager, was described as "super cute" by the bachelorette.

While there have been three seasons of The Bachelor NZ, the premiere of this season on Monday signals the first time a woman takes the commanding role.

The show airs Monday to Wednesday, and Sundays.