A messy feud, indeed. Season 6 of Bachelor in Paradise got off to a rocky start when it returned for its two-night premiere on Monday, August 5, and Tuesday, August 6. At the center of the drama is a complicated situation brewing between Caelynn Miller-Keyes and Blake Horstmann.
Bachelor Nation was first introduced to Caelynn, 24, on Colton Underwood’s Bachelor season in January. She quickly became a fan favorite, especially after having the courage to come forward with her experience as a sexual assault survivor.
Blake, 30, was a once-beloved contestant who appeared on Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette in 2018. However, the runner-up quickly garnered backlash from Bachelor Nation fans after he was accused of ghosting Caelynn, who claimed they had been “together.” Blake, meanwhile, never believed they were in a relationship and thought they were simply hooking up.
The drama got uglier when viewers learned that Horstmann also had ties to costar Kristina Schulman before appearing on the show. He additionally tried to test the waters with fellow Bachelor in Paradise stars Tayshia Adams and Hannah Godwin.
Chris Harrison, longtime Bachelor host, recently addressed the controversy surrounding Blake in the ABC spinoff series. The TV host said the Colorado native “skated” upon joining the show, and Blake probably thought the drama would eventually “blow over.”
“Blake was a dumpster fire,” Chris, 48, told E! News on Wednesday, August 7. “Blake himself was an absolute dumpster fire. He was just a car wreck.”
Chris continued to elaborate on the contestant’s scandal, adding: “I think what everyone in America will be asking is ‘What were you thinking when you went to Stagecoach and not only hooked up with two women in two nights, but two women in our franchise, that know each other?’”
To learn more about what exactly went down between Blake and Caelynn, scroll down for everything we know so far!