Doing what it takes! In past years on The Bachelor, women have chosen quippy jokes or silly costumes to impress the Bachelor, but season 23 contestant Brianna Barnes took it to a whole new level when it came to making a first impression on Colton Underwood.
In a new sneak peek, Bri, 24, introduced herself to the former NFL star, 26, and they shared a hug. “You’ve got a nice accent, where are you from?” he quickly asked.
Without missing a beat, the model replied, “The accent is Australian, I was hoping that you’re kind of a sucker for accents. I didn’t know what you’d think about it.”
“I am! I love it,” he answered. And it sounds like that’s the response she was hoping for! After walking away, the L.A. native admitted in her interview, “I’m not really Australian, but you have to do what you can to stand out.”
With 30 women vying for Colton’s heart, it will definitely take something special to stand out! However, he’s looking for honesty. In a conference call with Us Weekly and other reporters on Wednesday, January 3, he revealed that he focused on “being present and in the moment” while getting to know each woman.
“With the game of football, and as an athlete, I was so used to planning, strategizing and being aware,” the former Bachelor in Paradise star said. “I wanted to feel all the emotions and I wanted to go through this in the most raw and vulnerable way possible. I feel like I did that.”
While he wouldn’t reveal if he found love at the end, he did give an update on his current status.
“I would say I’m the happiest I’ve ever been right now and it’s because I really have an understanding of who I am,” he said on the call. “Obviously, I have a long way to go, I have a long way to grow. I’m not perfect. I have a sense of who I am and what I want to become. I might not have it all figured out, I might not have all the answers, but I at least have a sense of what I want out of life.”
As for the future – and possibly tying the knot – fans may have to wait for that.
“The Bachelor isn’t for marriage,” the former Raiders tight end said. “Of course, you want it to end in a marriage, [but] it’s for a proposal, and it’s typically to fall in love, and to find your person, to spend time developing a relationship and spending time on a relationship and on your personal life. And that’s exactly what I did.”
He continued: “I wanted to make sure that I did things my way, and I know that sounds sort of brutal to say, but because there has been a format to this show, and there has been success attached, for a reason, but everybody loves differently. Everybody goes through this process differently, and I’m included in that.”
The Bachelor’s three-hour premiere airs on ABC Monday, January 4, at 8 p.m. ET.
