Bachelor Nation Stars Who Turned Down ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Through the Years — And Why

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Bachelor Nation Stars Who Turned Down ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Through the Years — And Why

Passed on paradise. As Bachelor in Paradise makes its return for season 8, Bachelor Nation fans are reflecting on those they wished would have taken to the beach. There are a few past stars, such as Ivan Hall, who made headlines for comments he made about being “uncomfortable'' if former host Chris Harrison returned amid his defending Rachael Kirkconnell’s racially insensitive past. “Everybody took it as like, ‘Ivan’s not going if Chris Harrison’s the host,’” Ivan recalled on Us Weekly's “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast in June 2022. “And that wasn’t, like, it at all. If he was there, I would’ve still shown up. I would’ve been like, ‘Oh, this is a little weird.’ And since then, it’s all good. Chris gave me a call. People make mistakes." Hall eventually joined the show for season 7, but he left in week 4 after breaking the rules by sneaking out to meet Alexa Caves. Blake Moynes, who appeared on Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette, also weighed a potential return to the franchise, although it wasn’t exactly clear if he’d fully be on board. During an Instagram Story Q&A in March 2022, Moynes, 31, responded to a question about returning to reality TV, joking, “Duh, Paradise! Count it down! Can’t wait to get on that beach, get back into it.” The Canada native added: “Probably not, never say never, but not unless it was a great opportunity for something, but I’d like to not.” [jwplayer 6Mvj5B0W-zhNYySv2] Several other Bachelor Nation contestants, however, followed through with not accepting the ticket to paradise, despite how many fans were eager about their potential return. Season 14 Bachelorette alum Blake Horstmann brought the drama for BiP season 6, but he turned down the opportunity to appear on season 7. During a July 2021 Instagram Q&A session, he revealed that it was a “close” call, but he ultimately “didn’t feel it was right for me.” Likewise, Season 16 Bachelor Ben Flajnik exclusively told Us in July 2021 that he’s turned down a stint in Mexico several times for being “too busy” while Demi Burnett, who appeared twice on BiP, shared with Us in May 2022 that she had no interest in returning to the series. Most recently, Peter Weber, who was the Bachelor for season 24, rejected an offer to appear on season 8 of BiP over a contract dispute with ABC. “I was actually going to do Bachelor in Paradise. I was going to do it. We just couldn’t agree on a contract at the end of the day is what it came down to,” Weber, 30, shared with Us in June 2022. Scroll down to find out more about why these Bachelor Nation stars decided to forgo a romantic walk on the beaches of Paradise. [podcast_block]

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

Bachelor Nation Stars Who Turned Down ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Through the Years — And Why

Passed on paradise. As Bachelor in Paradise makes its return for season 8, Bachelor Nation fans are reflecting on those they wished would have taken to the beach. There are a few past stars, such as Ivan Hall, who made headlines for comments he made about being “uncomfortable'' if former host Chris Harrison returned amid his defending Rachael Kirkconnell’s racially insensitive past. “Everybody took it as like, ‘Ivan’s not going if Chris Harrison’s the host,’” Ivan recalled on Us Weekly's “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast in June 2022. “And that wasn’t, like, it at all. If he was there, I would’ve still shown up. I would’ve been like, ‘Oh, this is a little weird.’ And since then, it’s all good. Chris gave me a call. People make mistakes." Hall eventually joined the show for season 7, but he left in week 4 after breaking the rules by sneaking out to meet Alexa Caves. Blake Moynes, who appeared on Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette, also weighed a potential return to the franchise, although it wasn’t exactly clear if he’d fully be on board. During an Instagram Story Q&A in March 2022, Moynes, 31, responded to a question about returning to reality TV, joking, “Duh, Paradise! Count it down! Can’t wait to get on that beach, get back into it.” The Canada native added: “Probably not, never say never, but not unless it was a great opportunity for something, but I’d like to not.” [jwplayer 6Mvj5B0W-zhNYySv2] Several other Bachelor Nation contestants, however, followed through with not accepting the ticket to paradise, despite how many fans were eager about their potential return. Season 14 Bachelorette alum Blake Horstmann brought the drama for BiP season 6, but he turned down the opportunity to appear on season 7. During a July 2021 Instagram Q&A session, he revealed that it was a “close” call, but he ultimately “didn’t feel it was right for me.” Likewise, Season 16 Bachelor Ben Flajnik exclusively told Us in July 2021 that he’s turned down a stint in Mexico several times for being “too busy” while Demi Burnett, who appeared twice on BiP, shared with Us in May 2022 that she had no interest in returning to the series. Most recently, Peter Weber, who was the Bachelor for season 24, rejected an offer to appear on season 8 of BiP over a contract dispute with ABC. “I was actually going to do Bachelor in Paradise. I was going to do it. We just couldn’t agree on a contract at the end of the day is what it came down to,” Weber, 30, shared with Us in June 2022. Scroll down to find out more about why these Bachelor Nation stars decided to forgo a romantic walk on the beaches of Paradise. [podcast_block]

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Blake Horstmann

Fielding questions from eager fans in July 2021, former season 6 BiP contestant Blake Horstmann noted how the environment of the show just “wasn’t right for me.”

The Colorado native continued, “I am in a good place in my life. Personally, professionally and mentally. I didn’t want to go back into an environment that breeds toxicity and emotional abuse. I didn’t want to put my life in the hands of people that don’t really have your best interest in mind. It’s like having a coach who pushes you to do the wrong things 😂.”

Horstmann added that he decided his “mental health was more important than some followers and engagement,” but noted he didn’t think there was “anything wrong with people who do go on the show.”

As another fan wondered whether it felt “hard being yourself after the show,” the TV personality confirmed that “it’s alot [sic] harder than people think.”

“Everyone wants you to be the person you were one [sic] the show and that’s not always the case,” he revealed. “I often say you kind of become who you were edited to be.”

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Ben Flajnik

Season 16 Bachelor Ben Flajnik revealed to Us in July 2021 that the network had actually asked him to come to the beach “like, five times,” but it wasn’t in his heart to return to the franchise.

“My handler at the time, Adam Mansfield, is now working on that show, so he always reaches out and I’m just too busy,” the Frequent Flyers author shared. “I have too many projects and companies and I’m too old.”

The former reality star, however, is still seeking love nearly a decade after his split from ex-fiancée Courtney Robertson.

“I sporadically go on Hinge every once in a while, so yeah, I suppose I’m on the apps,” he told Us. “I live in Sonoma now, which is a fairly small town and that makes dating fairly difficult. If I go on a bunch of first dates in the town of Sonoma then everyone probably just assumes I’m back being the Bachelor, which is not the case.”

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Demi Burnett

Demi Burnett first appeared on Season 23 of The Bachelor in 2019, and subsequently joined two seasons of BiP. The Texas native, however, balked at the idea of making an additional return. “I cannot go on Bachelor in Paradise again. No,” the reality star exclusively told Us in May 2022.

“Also, I’m way out of their league.” Burnett did, however, entertain the idea of doing her own spinoff show. “I have a podcast going on, and so on my podcast, I feel like I get to make my own show out of it a little bit,” she explained.

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Peter Weber

After considering another attempt to find love on screen, Peter Weber ultimately declined the offer. “I was actually going to do Bachelor in Paradise. I was going to do it,” he told Us in June 2022. “We just couldn’t agree on a contract at the end of the day is what it came down to.”

According to the United pilot, the deal was almost done before he decided to pass on the offer. “I had gotten the days off. I had this month off to go out there and I was going to give it a shot. I honestly was,” he said. “I always kept looking at that as like the one venue I hadn’t, like, really checked off yet or tried.”

He continued: “I thought maybe [I could] give it one more try. But [ABC and I] ended up not being able to agree on anything and get out there. I feel everything happens for a reason, so it’s all good.”