The Bachelor star Peter Weber is defending Hannah Ann Sluss amid her "Champagne-gate" scandal involving fellow bachelorette Kelsey Weier.

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In The Bachelor's second episode that aired on Monday night, Kelsey was looking forward to opening a bottle of expensive champagne she had brought to the Malibu mansion all the way from Iowa to share with Peter.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' SPOILERS: ALL OF PETER WEBER'S SEASON DETAILS, INCLUDING HANNAH BROWN, FINAL 2 PICKS AND FINAL ROSE CEREMONY

Kelsey set up a romantic scene by a fireplace with rose petals and her bottle on ice, but when she turned her back for a moment, she could hear Hannah Ann and Peter popping the bottle and enjoying her champagne together.

"I think, honestly, it was just a misunderstanding," Peter, 28, told Us Weekly on Thursday.

"I know Hannah Ann, and she's not malicious in any way."

Kelsey accused the Tennessee beauty of stealing her bottle of champagne on purpose to get a leg up on her competition, but Hannah Ann swore up and down she had no idea the bottle belonged to another girl.

Regardless, Kelsey got extremely emotional and couldn't stop crying over her ruined moment with Peter and Hannah Ann's alleged betrayal.

"I know Hannah Ann did not do anything maliciously on purpose. I can promise you that," Peter told the magazine.

But in attempt to ease tension and lift Kelsey's spirits, Peter decided to open a different bottle of champagne with her.

When Kelsey took a sip from the bottle because no champagne glasses were in sight, however, the contents exploded all over her face. The night had turned into a nightmare for Kelsey.

RELATED LINK: MEET PETER WEBER'S 'THE BACHELOR' SEASON 24 BACHELORETTES (PHOTOS)

"Kelsey's emotional, but I love that about her. I'm very emotional as well," Peter admitted.

"She obviously reacted in an emotional way, but it meant a lot to her, that bottle. It was just unfortunate, but it is what it is."

Despite Hannah Ann's firm denial, Kelsey had already made up her mind and determined Hannah Ann was fake.

Hannah Ann later accused Kelsey of calling her "a b-tch" and "a princess" off-camera, which prompted Hannah Ann to inform Peter that Kelsey was "bullying" her.

Hannah Ann vented to Peter about how Kelsey's alleged verbal attacks really hurt her feelings.

"I was up all last night crying. I approached Kelsey and she told me to f-ck off," Hannah Ann explained to the pilot, adding that Kelsey's harsh words tore her up inside.

"My spirit was crushed and I felt bullied, and it was really, really hard."

Also during his interview, Peter revealed he fell for multiple people over the course of The Bachelor's 24th season.

"From the very first night, I had an insane connection, obviously, with Hannah Ann," Peter confirmed.

"But I am someone that falls fast, and I'm not ashamed of that. I like it. I like that about myself."

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? (PHOTOS)

Going back to "Champagne-gate," which was trending on social media earlier this week, Peter confronted Kelsey about Hannah Ann's bullying accusations -- saying he wasn't okay with that type of behavior behind the scenes.

"I didn't have a problem with [Hannah Ann] until she did what she did -- and she knew what she did," Kelsey claimed to Peter.

"But she's telling me that she didn't," Peter pointed out.

"And I'm telling you that she did. I don't like her," Kelsey countered. She can turn it on. She's trying to play the victim card, and she acts a certain way to you and then differently in the house... It's frustrating."

Kelsey added that she takes her character very seriously and never acted like a bully, especially since she had been bullied as a child.

"For her to act like I'm being malicious, it sucks," Kelsey noted. "There's a difference of saying not-nice words to her face and constantly bullying someone."

Peter didn't know what to do or whom to believe at the time because he was hearing two totally different stories.

Hannah Ann is currently a frontrunner on Peter's season given she received the First Impression Rose and also won the Revolve group date in which she had to model clothes on a fashion runway.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS) 

To find out how far Hannah Ann made it on Peter's season of The Bachelor as well as other major Season 24 spoilers, click here.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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