Hannah Brown’s Evolution: From ‘Bachelor’ to ‘DWTS’ Champ and Beyond

Credit: ABC/Ed Herrera

Hannah Brown’s Evolution: From ‘Bachelor’ to ‘DWTS’ Champ and Beyond

Hannah Brown was introduced to the world when she vied for Colton Underwood’s love on The Bachelor season 23 in 2018. While she did not end up with the former football player (Cassie Randolph stole his heart — but the two later called it quits in April 2020), ABC gave Brown a second chance at finding The One by naming her the lead of The Bachelorette’s 15th season. However, she came up short once again, breaking off her engagement to Jed Wyatt during the After the Final Rose special in 2019. Since then, the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, native has emerged as a forced to be reckoned with. After her Bachelorette journey came to an end, she joined the season 28 cast of Dancing With the Stars. She made it all the way to the finale with her pro partner, Alan Bersten, and they walked away with the coveted mirrorball trophy. “I wasn’t planning the whole time to be, like, this empowered woman,” she told Marie Claire in 2019 about her newfound status as a role model for women and girls across the nation. “I am. And I do feel that way. But the thing that I told myself I was going to be was real.” After all, Brown came from humble beginnings, like many of her fans. Upon graduating from Tuscaloosa County High School, she attended the University of Alabama, where she joined the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and ultimately earned a degree in communications and information technology in 2017. [sendtonews type="float" key="KdaL0DDYdJ-2837021-14453"] She went on to work as an interior designer in Northport, Alabama, before becoming a reality TV sensation. In November 2021, Brown released her first memoir, God Mess This Bless, which included tales of her life on both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette as well as the intense pressure she felt while competing on Dancing With the Stars. She also touched upon her mental health, childhood and love life. “I remember just being, like, ‘I just need a win in my life to feel better.’ And to realize that it didn’t make me feel better, that moment was soul-crushing in the moment too,” the former pageant queen told Us Weekly of her time on DWTS following a failed engagement on The Bachelorette. “I remember just being like, ‘Oh no, it’s supposed to feel different than this.’ That was a big moment for me just in life. And one of the biggest learning lessons that I’ve ever had.” Brown continued: “I think I was supposed to win Dancing With the Stars to be able to have that story of — you can win the thing, but you have to realize it can mean nothing if you’re just going for the trophies [and] if you haven’t really worked on your heart first.” Scroll down to take a look back at Brown’s evolution, from her awkward first date with Underwood to becoming a leading lady and beyond.

Credit: ABC/Rick Rowell

The Introduction

During her Bachelor introductory package, which aired in January 2019, Brown raved about being able to “serve my great state” as Miss Alabama USA 2018. “It’s fun. I have my own autograph pads,” she told viewers. At the end of the video, she said she hoped Underwood would climb aboard the “Hot Mess Express — and I’m the conductor.”

Credit: ABC/Rick Rowell (2)

Awkward Toast

Brown and Underwood’s first one-on-one date did not go as planned — especially when he asked her to make a toast. After an extended pause, she broke into laughter and admitted, “I can’t do this.” Colton’s response? “If Hannah can’t open up, I’m not gonna be giving her a rose at the end of the night,” he told viewers.

Credit: ABC/Rick Rowell

Beauty Queen Feud

Brown spoke to Underwood about her past drama with fellow contestant and Miss USA 2018 competitor Caelynn Miller-Keyes midway through her stint on the reality series, telling him that they used to be friends but no longer were. That night, Underwood gave Miller-Keyes the group date rose. In the next episode, the two women finally agreed to put their differences aside.

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A Long Journey Home

Underwood took Brown to Colorado to meet his parents in a February 2019 episode. After a date at a local space museum, however, Underwood realized that he was not “quite there” with Brown and sent her home in tears.

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The Next Chapter

Harrison announced on The Bachelor: After the Final Rose in March 2019 that Brown would be the next Bachelorette. “I feel all the emotions. But honestly, I’m just really grateful for this opportunity,” she said. “My family has been really supportive of me and is really happy. They made me who I am and so they trust me and love me and ultimately want me to have love too.”

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Woman of the Hour

Season 15 kicked off with 33 suitors in May 2019. By July, Hannah narrowed it down to her final four: Luke Parker, Tyler Cameron, Peter Weber and Wyatt. The show continued to make headlines each week — even on days without new episodes.

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Scandals and Controversies

Wyatt came under fire after his ex-girlfriend Haley Stevens came forward to publicly accuse him of leaving her to join the cast, an allegation that Weber also faced later on. Parker was at the center of controversy too, most infamously when he slut-shamed Brown for having sex with Weber. Their on-air argument during fantasy suites week ended with the Bachelorette sending Parker home.

Credit: ABC/John Fleenor

Hella Strong

During the season finale, Brown and Wyatt got engaged. However, she broke things off after his ex came forward with her story. While Brown was heartbroken — “I have sobbed on the floor. I felt like my whole life just caved in,” she told Harrison — she ultimately picked herself up.

“I have realized that I don’t need a husband. I want a husband, but I don’t need one,” she said. “And I’m really, really proud of the woman that I’ve become through all this, because I am hella strong!”

The emotional episode, which aired in July 2019, ended with Brown asking runner-up Cameron on a date. Their reunion was short-lived though, as he went on to have a two-month fling with fellow model Gigi Hadid.

Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless

To the Ballroom

In August 2019, Brown became the second Bachelorette to join Dancing With the Stars, following in the footsteps of season 1 lead Trista Sutter. She and Bersten, who were the subject of romance rumors throughout the season, had the highest scores several times. They took home the championship title that November.

Credit: ABC/John Fleenor

An Old Flame

Brown reunited with Weber on the premiere of his season of The Bachelor in January 2020. During an emotional conversation, the pilot asked whether the DWTS champ wanted to join his cast, to which she replied, “Maybe.” However, she ultimately did not.

Credit: ABC/Mark Bourdillon

Back On?

After finally getting closure with Weber, Brown was spotted hanging out with Cameron again in March 2020. She attended a celebration of life for his late mom, Andrea Cameron, in the general contractor’s native Jupiter, Florida, and they were later seen together at Palm Beach International Airport.

Credit: ABC/Mark Bourdillon

Just Friends

Brown and Cameron quarantined together for weeks in March 2020, which sparked speculation they were back together. However, Cameron told Us in May 2020 that the pair’s relationship was strictly platonic. “We have a great friendship,” the model said. “We both care about each other a lot and want each other to be happy.”

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Lessons Learned

Brown made headlines in May 2020 after she sang the N-word on her Instagram Live. She later issued an apology, stating that she was working to educate herself and having "uncomfortable conversations" about race with her family.

"We’re all a part of the conversation and we all can look into some of our internalized racist ideologies because it is systematically institutionalized in our country,” she said via Instagram Live at the time. “It’s really hard to not be affected by that. So I just think dropping the defense and really just opening up your heart and having these conversations and knowing it’s gonna be emotional and uncomfortable, but just going at it from a humble place of wanting to grow and learn, like, it’s gonna be really impactful — I know it has been for me. It doesn’t mean it’s been easy, but no impactful work is ever easy. This is hard work."

Credit: Courtesy of Hannah Brown/Instagram

New Man

The former Bachelorette introduced fans to her boyfriend, Adam Woolard, in February 2021. Months later, she called the model her “favorite wish come true” via Instagram.

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Author

Brown’s debut book, God Bless This Mess, was released in November 2021.

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Getting Through the Mess

The Alabama native detailed her ups and downs both from The Bachelorette and her pageant days to Dancing With the Stars and her own mental health battles in her November 2021 memoir. While reflecting on the writing process of God Bless This Mess, Brown exclusively told Us how she learned to lean into the messy parts of life. 

“I think the biggest takeaway is we live in a society where it’s just, like, keep going, distract, distract, do the next thing, win this, do this — and there is no accolade, reward, amount of money, followers, whatever, that can really heal the pain unless you do the work,” she said in November 2021. “It will just continue to build and build and build and become something that you never thought it would be if you don’t really go to the source. And sometimes that means you’re gonna fall on the ground and it’s going to hurt real bad, but maybe that’s the moment that you can start to heal.” 

Brown continued: “It’s important in my book because, like, your mess can be your message in the end if you can allow it to. But you got to dig through the mess first. I think it’s really being honest with yourself and what your s—t is, [that is] the only way that you’re going to heal and live life in a really impactful, meaningful way.”

Credit: Bonnie McGhee

Engagement to Adam Woolard

Brown got engaged to boyfriend Adam Woolard after more than two years of dating. The duo were first linked in January 2021 and went public with their romance one month later. “So happy,” she wrote via Instagram in a post announcing the couple’s milestone. “I love our steady love.”