‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Virgins Through the Years

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‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Virgins Through the Years

Virgins are few and far between in Bachelor Nation. Ashley Iaconetti, Sean Lowe, Colton Underwood and Becca Tilley are just a few of the cast members who famously spoke out on TV about holding onto their V-cards.

“I feel like people think I’m less of a man because of that. And that’s the hardest thing for me to hear,” Underwood said during the July 2018 Men Tell All special after his elimination from Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette.

The former Bachelor, who publicly came out as gay in April 2021, further reflected on his decision to discuss his virginity on the show.

“I love shedding light on positive/impactful events in my life, but the truth is I have had struggles,” Underwood wrote via Instagram in July 2018. “For years I hid my feelings, including depression & anxiety. You see a portion of my life and a select few scenes that help portray a picture of who I am. I’m here to tell you that I am not perfect and that it’s okay to not be okay sometimes. If I have to continue to take cheap shots about my virginity — which is only a small part of who I am — so that others like me can feel comfortable & relate — Bring it on!”

The Coming Out Colton alum continued: “While I didn’t plan on breaking down or speaking about my virginity on tonight’s episode, it is clearly something that I struggle talking about. When I heard the comments made by some of the other guys it triggered a response from me that was unexpected. While I respect their opinions, I’m not here to prove a point, say I’m better than anyone else or gain sympathy. It is what it is… my virginity shouldn’t have to be defended or used to describe me as a person.”

Underwood, who got engaged to Jordan C. Brown in February 2022, is not the only Bachelor Nation star to discuss virginity on the show. Madison Prewett, for her part, revealed in a February 2020 confessional interview that she was saving herself for marriage but she waited to tell Bachelor Peter Weber of her lifestyle choice.

"Opening up about something like saving myself for marriage and that gift I one day want to give to my husband, that's a very intimate and vulnerable thing to open up about,” Preset explained in an April 2020 episode of Kaitlyn Bristowe’s “Off the Vine” podcast. “It's something I'm extremely proud of and so grateful for in my life, but it's still something that's intimate to talk about. That's something I wasn't just discussing with Peter, but I was inviting millions of people into that vulnerable place… I probably should've shared it sooner and who knows if it would've made a difference? Of course he's going to argue it might've made a difference, but who knows?"

Revisit the Bachelor franchise’s most infamous virgins through the years:

Credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth

Teddi Wright

The nurse appeared on season 26 of The Bachelor, where she accepted Clayton Echard’s first impression rose. After receiving the coveted honor, Wright revealed her virginity.

“I’m very open about that,” she said during a January 2022 appearance on the “Click Bait” podcast. “I have no issues about saying that [and] I [have said] that really early on with guys that I’ve dated in the past. I tell everyone that I know. I’m not a very stereotypical virgin, no one really expects that I am. I’m not waiting until marriage so it’s a little bit different than other people that are virgins.”

Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin

Mike Planeta

The Bachelorette season 17 contestant revealed during the June 2021 premiere that he is saving himself for marriage.

“Most people when they see me, they think I’m a huge player,” Mike told the cameras. “But that’s not morally where I’m at. So I’m waiting for marriage, I’ve never had sex. The stigma is, like, ‘Oh, you can’t connect with that.’ But I disagree with that. I want Katie [Thurston] to understand that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being sex-positive. I personally want to share that within marriage, that’s me. I mean, if I fall in love with Katie, maybe that’s something that we can, you know, take that road together.”

Credit: ABC/Maarten de Boer

Madison Prewett

Prewett waited until fantasy suite week to share with Peter Weber that she was saving herself for marriage due to her strong faith. “If he sleeps with anybody else, it’s gonna be hard for me to continue to move forward,” Prewett said in a sneak peek of the season 24 episode in 2020.

The Alabama native announced her relationship with Grant Michael Troutt in May 2022.

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Ashley Iaconetti

Iaconetti dropped the bombshell while vying for Chris Soules’ heart on season 19 of The Bachelor in 2015. Soules was fine with it and kept the Virginia native around until week 6. She went on to date her Bachelor Winter Games costar Kevin Wendt in early 2018, when she told Us Weekly exclusively, “I know what everybody’s million dollar question is — have we or have we not? — but I will never, ever, say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to that question.”

Iaconetti is now married to her Bachelor in Paradise costar Jared Haibon. The BiP alums welcomed their first child, son Dawson, in February 2022.

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Sean Lowe

Lowe was dubbed the first-ever virgin Bachelor when he led season 17 in 2013. He waited until marriage to have sex with his wife, Catherine Giudici, with whom he shares sons Samuel and Isaiah and daughter Mia.

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Colton Underwood

Underwood broke the news to Becca Kufrin during a one-on-one date on season 14 of The Bachelorette in 2018. He admitted he was worried that his virginity would be a “deal-breaker.” Kufrin walked away from the dinner table after the big reveal, but she later clarified on Twitter that she “got up just to go to the bathroom.” Underwood retweeted her post, adding, “Can confirm. There was 0 intent to be disrespectful… I definitely did not take it that way.” The former football player later went on to become the lead of The Bachelor season 23 and chose Cassie Randolph as his winner before coming out as gay in early 2021.

The Illinois native got engaged to Brown in February 2022, with whom he adopted dog Scout several months later.

Credit: Vince Flores/startraksphoto.com

Becca Tilley

Tilley did not tell Soules that she was a virgin until their fantasy suite date toward the end of season 19. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say it surprises me,” he responded before adding that he “respects” her choice. Two years later, Tilley confirmed to Us that she is still saving herself for marriage. She explained, “I think people make a big deal about people being overly sexual or whatever, so I think it’s important to bring both aspects of it, to show there are people on both sides of it who are normal and not sitting in a room by themselves.”

Credit: ABC/Mitch Haaseth

Christen Whitney

Whitney revealed on season 21 of The Bachelor in 2017 that she was sticking to her faith and waiting until marriage to have sex. But that didn’t stop her from fantasizing about Nick Viall. “If Nick and I end up together, my gosh, I’m really excited,” she said on the ABC reality dating series. “Because God loves sex, because he created it, it’s going to be amazing.”

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Ryan Hoag

Hoag declared that his Christianity came first and was holding off on having sex on season 4 of The Bachelorette in 2008. He didn’t last long on the show, though. DeAnna Pappas sent him packing after week 2.

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Alexis Young

Like Hoag, Young was sent home after week 2 when she competed for Andy Baldwin’s heart on season 10 of The Bachelor in 2007. “I feel like I escaped pretty unscathed … There's worst reputations they could have assigned to me than [the virgin],” she told Reality TV World after her elimination.

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Sadie Murray

Murray was the first Bachelor star to publicly declare her virgin status on season 9 in 2006. She was Prince Lorenzo Borghese’s runner-up. He chose Jennifer Wilson as the winner, but they split soon after the finale.

Credit: ABC/CRAIG SJODIN

Corrie Adamson

Adamson was forced to reveal that she was virgin when Jake Pavelka asked whether she was saving herself for marriage on season 14 of The Bachelor in 2010. She later explained that she was caught off guard by the question and didn’t want to share the information that early on in a relationship.