The singles got a surprise during Thursday’s episode of Bachelor in Paradise. Just as hope was dwindling for the guys without a connection, a new woman arrived minutes before the ladies were set to hand out the roses.
No one recognized the new girl, but, as fans quickly learned, her name is Samantha “Sam” Picco, and she’s a Canadian reality star who decided to head south for the summer.
“I feel on top of the world. These people are not ready for the energy I’m going to bring to this beach. Buckle up,” Sam told the cameras, adding that she was “not going to play nice” on her quest for love.
So, who is Sam Picco? Read on for everything you need to know about the latest single to hit the beach.
She appeared on Big Brother Canada
Sam, a 35-year-old Newfoundland native, started her reality TV career back in 2019 when she appeared on season 7 of Big Brother Canada.
In her Q&A for the show, Sam, who listed her job as a beauty salon owner, described herself as charismatic, energetic and outgoing. She also admitted that she’s a bad liar, and said that she’s able to connect with people quickly. She finished the season in fifth place.
She appeared on Bachelor in Paradise Canada
Then, in 2023, Sam was back on TV, this time on season 2 of Bachelor in Paradise Canada. Sam, who described her job as an entrepreneur this time around, arrived in week one. In her bio for the season, Sam revealed that she dreams of starting a podcast, hosting her own show, and traveling to Japan, and shared that she is scared of “spiders, tornados and commitment.”
While in Paradise, she was embroiled in a love triangle as both she and Lisa Mancini expressed interest in Cole Medders. Sam decided to leave Paradise after Cole ended things with her.
She’s an entrepreneur
Sam founded SAMBRAND, where she sells makeup products, after her appearance on Big Brother Canada.
During an appearance on the Self(ish) Confidence podcast, Sam revealed that she first started a business in her high school entrepreneurship class. SAMBRAND followed years later, based on her experience as a self-taught makeup artist with a background in mobile makeup artistry.
“I was like, ‘I don’t know what to call this,'” she recalled of her line. “… I know that the people who are going to buy it are people who actually know me or have connected with me personally. So I was like, ‘You know what? Why don’t I just put my name on so people know it’s mine.'”
During her podcast appearance, Sam also opened up about suffering from ADHD and her inability to focus on things that didn’t interest her ultimately led her to go into business for herself.
All in all, Sam said, “I’m not really scared to put myself out there.”
Bachelor in Paradise airs Thursdays on ABC. Keep up with all the drama on the beach with ET’s coverage of the show.
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