Relive the Most Intense ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Scandals of All Time

Credit: Matt Klitscher/ABC/Getty Images

Relive the Most Intense ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Scandals of All Time

From breakups to makeups and everything in between, Bachelor Nation has seen it all — and it hasn't always been pretty. Loyal fans of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette often put in the work to uncover secrets from contestants' pasts as they search for love on the ABC reality franchise. During Matt James' historic season, which kicked off in January 2021, frontrunner Rachael Kirkconnell sparked major controversy when viewers called her social media history into question. The graphic designer came under fire shortly after season 25 of The Bachelor premiered when one TikTok user accused her of being racist in high school. As the season continued, more information about Kirkconnell's past came to light in separate TikTok posts and pictures of her at an antebellum-themed frat party in 2018 resurfaced online. She broke her silence in a lengthy Instagram statement in February 2021. "While there have been rumors circulating, there have also been truths that have come to light that I need to address. I hear you, and I'm here to say I was wrong," she wrote. "At one point, I didn't recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn't excuse them. My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist." Kirkconnell said that she was "sorry to the communities and individuals that [her] actions harmed and offended" and blamed her ignorance on her "lack of education." She also encouraged Bachelor Nation fans to use her mistakes as a "teachable moment." [jwplayer oYPuAyhF-zhNYySv2] Before the reality star addressed the controversy, host Chris Harrison asked viewers to have "compassion" for Kirkconnell during an interview with the franchise's first Black Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay. "I have seen some stuff online. Again, this judge, jury, executioner thing where people are just tearing this girl's life apart ... Until I actually hear this woman have a chance to speak, who am I to say any of this ... I saw a picture of her at a sorority party five years ago that's it," Harrison said at the time. "My guess? These girls got dressed up and went to a party and had a great time, they were 18 years old. Now, does that make it OK? I don't know Rachel, you tell me. Were we all looking through [that lens] in 2018?" Harrison faced backlash for his comments, with fans and members of Bachelor Nation taking aim. After posting an apology online, the Bachelor host announced in February 2021 that he was taking a temporary break from hosting Matt James' season. "I have consulted with Warner Bros. and ABC and will be stepping aside for a period of time and will not join for the After the Final Rose special," the Texas native said in a lengthy Instagram post. "I am dedicated to getting educated on a more profound and productive level than ever before." Kirkconnell isn't the first contestant to be criticized for racially insensitive behavior. Hannah Brown, the season 15 Bachelorette, issued a public apology in May 2020 when she was caught saying the N-word while singing along to DaBaby's "Rockstar" on Instagram Live. "I don't want to be ignorant anymore," Brown said at the time, telling her followers not to "defend" her behavior. "I don't want to be an ignorant white girl who uses the N-word. But I also don't want be someone who goes on their platform intoxicated and engages with their platform that way. ... I have learned that there are things that I cannot say. ... There is so much more historical context that I didn't know that makes it so much more inappropriate." The Alabama native concluded, "I will keep doing whatever I can to learn more and support the solution in all this. ... A lot of people hurting and a lot of people angry, rightfully." Scroll down to relive the show's most scandalous moments. [podcast_block]

Credit: Matt Klitscher/ABC/Getty Images

Relive the Most Intense ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Scandals of All Time

From breakups to makeups and everything in between, Bachelor Nation has seen it all — and it hasn't always been pretty. Loyal fans of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette often put in the work to uncover secrets from contestants' pasts as they search for love on the ABC reality franchise. During Matt James' historic season, which kicked off in January 2021, frontrunner Rachael Kirkconnell sparked major controversy when viewers called her social media history into question. The graphic designer came under fire shortly after season 25 of The Bachelor premiered when one TikTok user accused her of being racist in high school. As the season continued, more information about Kirkconnell's past came to light in separate TikTok posts and pictures of her at an antebellum-themed frat party in 2018 resurfaced online. She broke her silence in a lengthy Instagram statement in February 2021. "While there have been rumors circulating, there have also been truths that have come to light that I need to address. I hear you, and I'm here to say I was wrong," she wrote. "At one point, I didn't recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn't excuse them. My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist." Kirkconnell said that she was "sorry to the communities and individuals that [her] actions harmed and offended" and blamed her ignorance on her "lack of education." She also encouraged Bachelor Nation fans to use her mistakes as a "teachable moment." [jwplayer oYPuAyhF-zhNYySv2] Before the reality star addressed the controversy, host Chris Harrison asked viewers to have "compassion" for Kirkconnell during an interview with the franchise's first Black Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay. "I have seen some stuff online. Again, this judge, jury, executioner thing where people are just tearing this girl's life apart ... Until I actually hear this woman have a chance to speak, who am I to say any of this ... I saw a picture of her at a sorority party five years ago that's it," Harrison said at the time. "My guess? These girls got dressed up and went to a party and had a great time, they were 18 years old. Now, does that make it OK? I don't know Rachel, you tell me. Were we all looking through [that lens] in 2018?" Harrison faced backlash for his comments, with fans and members of Bachelor Nation taking aim. After posting an apology online, the Bachelor host announced in February 2021 that he was taking a temporary break from hosting Matt James' season. "I have consulted with Warner Bros. and ABC and will be stepping aside for a period of time and will not join for the After the Final Rose special," the Texas native said in a lengthy Instagram post. "I am dedicated to getting educated on a more profound and productive level than ever before." Kirkconnell isn't the first contestant to be criticized for racially insensitive behavior. Hannah Brown, the season 15 Bachelorette, issued a public apology in May 2020 when she was caught saying the N-word while singing along to DaBaby's "Rockstar" on Instagram Live. "I don't want to be ignorant anymore," Brown said at the time, telling her followers not to "defend" her behavior. "I don't want to be an ignorant white girl who uses the N-word. But I also don't want be someone who goes on their platform intoxicated and engages with their platform that way. ... I have learned that there are things that I cannot say. ... There is so much more historical context that I didn't know that makes it so much more inappropriate." The Alabama native concluded, "I will keep doing whatever I can to learn more and support the solution in all this. ... A lot of people hurting and a lot of people angry, rightfully." Scroll down to relive the show's most scandalous moments. [podcast_block]

Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin

Brendan Morais and Pieper James Meet Before 'Paradise'

Two months before season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise premiered, Us confirmed that Brendan Morais and Pieper James were dating, but when the commercial roofer arrived in Mexico, he told his castmates that their relationship was super casual and began pursuing Natasha Parker. In week 3, however, Pieper arrived and immediately used her date card for a one-on-one with Brendan.

Natasha later confronted Pieper about her history with Brendan, and her version of events was vastly different. The former model said they'd hung out at least 10 times, adding that they saw each other right before he left for Mexico. Things only got worse when Brendan and Pieper were overheard discussing how many Instagram followers they'd gained after news broke that they were together before they started filming. The Bachelorette alum also drew fan ire after he said Natasha had "zero prospects" on the beach without him.

Brendan and Pieper tried to convince their fellow contestants that their intentions were good, but the damage was done. They left the show together ahead of the third rose ceremony, and Natasha received a rose from Wells Adams so she could continue her journey to find love. After their exit, Brendan apologized to Natasha in a lengthy video posted via Instagram, but he denied that he and Pieper had concocted a plan to meet up on the show.

“If I wanted the max amount of followers, I would not have pursued Pieper or Natasha,” he said in the clip. “I would have went after a girl with a million followers. … Everyone saying I’m there for TV and all that stuff is just ironic and silly, as they’re mic’d up and in an interview with a camera in their face saying that I’m there for TV, but fully understanding that they’re speaking to a camera that’s going to air their words on TV.”

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Jef Holm's Restraining Order

In August 2021, Us confirmed that Holm, who was briefly engaged to Emily Maynard after season 8 of The Bachelorette, was granted a temporary restraining order against former roommate — and fellow Bachelor Nation star — Robby Hayes. Holm claimed in court docs at the time, "Robert used to live at my house but does not now. He continues to enter the premises & harass me & I do not feel safe around him." 

According to Holm, the Bachelor in Paradise alum "enters the property and becomes hostile" at least "once a week." A judge ultimately signed off on the request for the temporary order, certifying that Hayes must stay 100 yards away from Holm in addition to his home, workplace and vehicle. An extension or removal of the order was set to be discussed at a later date.

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Chris Harrison's Reaction to Rachael Kirkconnell's Social Media Controversy

While season 25 of The Bachelor aired in early 2021, Kirkconnell faced backlash from fans when photos of her seemingly appropriating minority cultures and insensitive comments from her past were brought to light. She was also photographed in clothing reminiscent of the Old South at a frat party in 2018. Before she addressed the situation herself, Harrison seemingly defended her in an interview with Rachel Lindsay and asked viewers to "have a little grace" for Kirkconnell. His comments drew criticism from both fans of the franchise and past contestants, including Kaitlyn Bristowe, Nick Viall and Ben Higgins.

Days later, Harrison announced that he was temporarily "stepping aside" from hosting the show and would not appear on James' After the Final Rose special.

Kirkconnell eventually apologized in an Instagram statement in February 2021, writing, "I am sorry to the communities and individuals that my actions harmed and offended. I am ashamed about my lack of education, but it is no one's responsibility to educate me. I am learning and will continue to learn how to be antiracist, because it's important to speak up in the moment and not after you're called out. If you are a person who doesn't understand the offense in question, I urge you to learn from my mistakes and encourage you to use them as a teachable moment. ... Racial progress and unity are impossible without (white) accountability, and I deserve to be held accountable for my actions. I will never grow unless I recognize what I have done is wrong. I don't think one apology means that I deserve your forgiveness, but rather I hope I can earn your forgiveness through my future actions."

After Us confirmed Harrison wouldn’t host seasons 17 and 18 of The Bachelorette or season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise, Us confirmed he reached a settlement with the network, making his exit from the franchise permanent after nearly 20 years with the show.

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Hannah Brown Uses the N-Word

In May 2020, the season 15 Bachelorette star sparked controversy when she said the N-word while reciting the lyrics to DaBaby's "Rockstar" on Instagram Live as she tried to remember a TikTok dance. After fans called her out for using the racial slur, Brown at first claimed she didn't say the word before telling her fans, "Y'all can think I said whatever I did or think I'm something I'm not, but I'm not that." But after more critics spoke out, including Bachelor Nation's Bekah Martinez, the Dancing With the Stars champ posted a written apology on her Instagram Stories, in which she said "there is no excuse" for what she did and pledged a "promise to do better." But her apology didn't go far enough for her fellow former Bachelorette lead Rachel Lindsay, who revealed on her Instagram Stories that she'd reached out to Brown to tell her she was "personally hurt and offended." After Brown chose not to go on camera with a video apology, the attorney said she was disappointed. "It's easy to make a statement, it's easy to hide behind words, but when you're bold enough to say the N-word on camera, on your platform … then you need to be bold enough to use your face on camera and apologize in the same way that you said the word," the season 13 Bachelorette said. "I'm not discrediting the apology, I'm just saying we can't give people a pass for this. You have to hold people accountable for what they're doing."

Credit: ABC

Jed Wyatt's Girlfriend Bombshell

While The Bachelorette season 15 was airing, frontrunner Jed Wyatt’s ex-girlfriend Haley Stevens came forward with claims that they were still together when he went on the show and that he was only doing it to further his country music career. After the season ended — Jed proposed and Hannah Brown accepted — Hannah found out about the claims and that he had been telling her “half truths” about many things. With that, she ended the engagement. They faced each other during the live show on July 30, 2019, and he apologized, telling her he was still in love with her. However, she said her feelings for him were gone.

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Colton Underwood’s Fence Jump

In one of the most shocking Bachelor episodes ever, Underwood jumped a fence and ran away from the crew after Cassie Randolph told him during their fantasy suite date that she wasn’t sure about her feelings and self-eliminated. The former NFL player eventually returned and said goodbye to finalists Tayshia Adams and Hannah Godwin to pursue the speech pathologist. Underwood and Randolph confirmed they made up and are in a relationship on the Bachelor season 23 finale, which aired on Tuesday, March 12, but don’t have any immediate plans to get engaged.

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Jenna Cooper Cheats on Jordan Kimball

Jenna and Jordan fell in love on Bachelor in Paradise season 5. The male model proposed during the finale, which aired on Tuesday, September 11. However, hours before the episode broadcasted, Reality Steve reported that Jenna had been seeing another man throughout her relationship with Jordan. The blog posed alleged text messages between Jenna and the mystery man in which she exchanged intimate notes and wrote that she and Jordan “aren’t together for real.” Jordan reacted to the scandal on Wednesday, September 12, writing that he has “removed [himself] from the relationship, it breaks [his] heart to think, feel and fall for this.”

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Garrett Yrigoyen's Instagram Controversy

As season 14 of The Bachelorette aired in 2018, it was revealed that contestant Garrett Yrigoyen "liked" Instagram memes that mocked immigrants, the Parkland shooting survivors, the transgender community, and other minority groups. He'd later apologize and address the situation on After the Final Rose after getting engaged to Becca Kufrin. "I’m just trying to grow as a person, be a better person on a daily basis. She’s helped me through everything," he said.

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Arie Luyendyk Jr. Breaks Up With Becca in Unedited Clip

Taking a step back. Arie Luyendyk Jr. blindsided his season 22 winner, Becca Kufrin, when he ended their engagement during one of their “happy couple weekends” post-finale. Luyendyk then reconciled with runner-up Lauren Burnham and proposed to her on After the Final Rose. Everyone got their happy ending, however, as Becca will be the season 14 Bachelorette and have another shot at finding her fairytale ending.

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Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson’s Sexual Misconduct Scandal

Bachelor in Paradise season 3 production shut down in June 2017 days after the cast arrived. A producer filed a sexual misconduct complaint involving Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson, and Warner Bros. halted filming in order to investigate. They ultimately found no evidence of wrongdoing. Five months later, Olympios and Jackson have moved on and are closer than ever. “DeMario is a super close friend of mine. I love him to death,” the Miami-based business owner exclusively told Us Weekly in early November. “We always have the best time hanging out. He’s just great.”

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Rozlyn Papa Has an Affair With a Producer

Say it isn’t so! Contestant Rozyln Papa stirred the pot when she allegedly had an intimate relationship with one of the show’s producers, Ryan Callahan while filming Jake Pavelka’s season 14 in 2009. Pavelka told Ellen DeGeneres that he had began developing feelings for Papa before finding out about the affair. Papa later said during an interview with Mix 103.7 that she wishes she “would have gone for it” and pursed a relationship with the producer.

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Kaitlyn Bristowe Snapchats Photo in Bed With Shawn B.

Spoiler alert! Kaitlyn Bristowe sent fans into a frenzy in June 2015 when she accidentally posted a photo with her season’s winner, Shawn B., to her Snapchat Story nearly one month before the final rose ceremony. “We were sending Snaps to one of the producers,” Booth explained to Jimmy Kimmel in July 2015. “[And then] I pick up my phone to go on Twitter and there’s hundreds of pictures of my stupid face laying in bed with her. I start having a panic attack. I couldn’t even breathe.”

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Jason Mesnick Dumps Melissa, Picks Molly Malaney on ‘After the Final Rose’

A change of heart! Jason Mesnick broke up with his season’s winner, Melissa Rycroft, on After the Final Rose and got back together with his season’s runner-up, Molly Malaney. Despite the backlash he faced, Mesnick trusted his gut and he and Malaney are now married with two children!

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Peter Kraus Breaks Down in Tears, Rachel Lindsay Says She Loves Him

We’re still not over it. Peter Kraus couldn’t mask his emotions while breaking up with Rachel Lindsay on her Bachelorette season 13 finale. The fitness guru told Lindsay that he wasn’t ready to get down on one knee. Although the two parted paths, the Dallas-based attorney told Kraus that she loved him.

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Ben Higgins Tells Both JoJo Fletcher and Lauren Bushnell He Loves Them

He went where no other lead has gone before! Ben Higgins broke one of The Bachelor’s golden rules when professing his love to both of his final contestants, JoJo Fletcher and Lauren Bushnell, during The Bachelor season 20 finale. Although Higgins eventually proposed to Bushnell, the couple split in May 2017. The former flight attendant has been vocal about how Higgin’s declaration caused tension during their relationship. “I did carry some resentment toward him, not with JoJo,” Bushnell told Us in October 2016. “I had such a hard time trying to understand and put myself in his shoes and finally I was like, ‘I will never understand. I will never be the Bachelor.”

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DeMario Jackson’s Former Fling Interrupts Group Date

He wasn’t there for the right reasons. DeMario Jackson had unfinished business before leaving to compete for Rachel Lindsay’s affections on The Bachelorette season 13. Jackson’s former flame interrupted a basketball group date to call him out and show Lindsay text messages the two shared before he went on the show, claiming that they were still romantically involved. Although Jackson denied the two were still together, Lindsay sent him packing.

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Nick Viall Reveals He Slept With Contestant Liz Sandoz at Jade and Tanner’s Wedding

Liz Sandoz walked out of the limo and into Nick Viall’s arms on The Bachelor season 21, but this was not their first introduction. Sandoz, who is best friends with Bachelor Nation favorite Jade Tolbert, revealed on a group date that she and the Wisconsin native, spent the night together at Jade and Tanner Tolbert’s wedding in February 2016. Although Viall didn’t initially remember Sandoz, he sent her packing after she told the other contestants about their previous encounter.

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Corinne Olympios Strips Down on Group Date

Strutting her stuff! Corinne Olympios didn’t shy away from packing on the PDA with Nick Viall during a group date. The Miami-based business owner removed her top in the pool and cozied up to Viall while the duo posed for photos together.

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Chris Soules Is Arrested After Fatal Tractor Accident

Chris Soules found himself in hot water after leaving the scene of a fatal car crash in April 2017. The former Bachelor was arrested and pleaded not guilty in May to a felony charge.

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Evan Bass Is Hospitalized in Mexico

Evan Bass went to extreme measures to win over his now-wife Carly Waddell. When the pair first met on Bachelor in Paradise season 3, Waddell wasn’t romantically interested in pursuing Bass. However, the erectile dysfunction specialist didn’t give up. Waddell accompanied him to the hospital during the season and it was then that she finally opened her heart to him. The married couple are now preparing to welcome their first child together, a baby girl!

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Chad Johnson Threatens Evan Bass, Rips His Shirt

Tensions rising! Chad Johnson and Evan Bass got into a heated altercation during a group date on JoJo Fletcher’s season, which resulted in Johnson tearing Evan’s shirt!

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Tino Franco Cheats on Rachel Recchia and Aven Jones Asks Her Out

Shortly after viewers watched Tino propose to Rachel on the season 19 finale of The Bachelorette in September 2022, the general contractor revealed that he had cheated on her. 

After admitting that “I kissed another girl" during After the Final Rose, Tino went on to accuse Rachel of saying she wanted to give her engagement ring back. However, the Illinois native denied the claims. “I was exhausted. We were in a bad place, but … Never once did we say we are broken up,” she explained. 

After the two argued about their relationship status, Rachel's runner-up, Jones — who was sent home after he confessed he wasn’t ready to get down on one knee — appeared on stage. 

“You don’t really deserve any of this, anything that happened between any of us. I was just wondering if you wanted to maybe get out of here and just catch up?” he asked, to which she replied, “I would love nothing more.”

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Clayton Echard's Fantasy Suites Blow Up

The former athlete lost his patience with Susie Evans during season 26 after she told Echard that him having sex with multiple women in the fantasy suites would be a dealbreaker for her. The Bachelor — who had already slept with both Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey at the time — then accused Evans of invalidating their journey up to that point. 

“I don’t even know who I’m looking at anymore,” the Missouri native said before sending her home in March 2022. “You just dropped a bombshell on me, and I don’t agree with it at all how you went about it. I think it’s BS … I’m sorry that I even raised my voice. It’s because I cared so much, I really did love you. … Anything you say to me at this point doesn’t matter to me anymore, so I’m going to walk you out.”

Viewers were shocked by how Echard handled the situation and several Bachelor Nation alums quickly came to Evans' defense.

"Have your limits! Have your boundaries!" former season 26 contestant Sierra Jackson wrote via Twitter at the time. "You're allowed to change your mind. Happy International Women's Day" Jackson also joined fellow season 26 alum Elizabeth Corrigan in accusing Echard of "gaslighting" Evans.

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Zach Shallcross' Fantasy Suites

The Bachelor drew backlash for how he handled the fantasy suites during Season 27 in March 2023. The California native had sex with Gabi Elnicki after telling Ariel Frenkel that he wasn't planning to sleep with any of the final three women, prompting the marketing executive to confront him during the season finale. 

“It was really difficult to see that you weren’t honest with me. I committed to being in an open relationship — that’s what it is, that’s what I want to call it,” Frenkel told Shallcross. "And when the parameters of an open relationship change, I should be the first to know. I should have not been left in the dark, standing up there in Thailand at the rose ceremony when you had ample time to tell me about everything before I left. So, I just really want to know why the other women were given grace and honesty — and that is something you really pride yourself on — and why I wasn’t given that same respect?”

Although the tech executive apologized, saying that he "didn't know the right way to handle everything," Frenkel further explained her frustrations during an appearance on the "Viall Files" podcast. She characterized Shallcross telling her his plans for the fantasy suites as "a monologue, not a dialogue."

She continued: "I feel like it’s very frustrating when someone takes away your ability to even have a fluid conversation. I don’t like when people just come to you with an idea and you’re not having dialogue.”