Bachelor Nation is gearing up for the premiere of The Bachelor‘s 23rd season, and Her Campus got the inside scoop from this season’s Bachelor, Colton Underwood.
The 26-year-old former NFL player spoke about the response to his virginity, his past relationships and what’s coming up this season.
The day is here. You think you know who I am? This changed everything… pic.twitter.com/TFzVbUFRXQ
— Colton Underwood (@colton) January 7, 2019
1. He doesn’t think his virginity should be such a big deal
People were surprised to find out that Colton is still holding onto his v-card (at least, as of the beginning of the season), and it eventually turned into possibly his biggest defining characteristic on the show.
“I was very open and candid about my virginity—I think a lot of people maybe misunderstood it or still don’t understand why I am a virgin, I think those answers might come out this season,” Colton said. “I think the thing that I stressed the most, or at times I get frustrated with, it’s that it’s just a small part of who I am. Instead of it being Colton Underwood Bachelor, it’s the virgin Colton Underwood, it’s always led with or followed by virgin. Do I think that’s right? No. Because that’s a small part of who I am. It’s like saying Colton Underwood football player—and I don’t believe in that either. I’m a human being, we’re all human beings, we all have parts of our lives that make us a unique individual. That just happens to be a small part of my life and something that just makes me into who I am. So I think that would probably be the one thing I would say has been the hardest part since coming into sort of being a public figure since the show, sort of just having people put a label on you.”
We totally agree that virginity shouldn’t be as much of an issue as modern society makes it out to be, and it looks like at least some of the contestants on this season have caught on to that fact as well.
“The topic of my virginity—obviously I knew it was going to be mentioned by some of the women and I was ready for that,” Colton admitted. “A couple of them did come out, either with their limo entrances involving it and the topic of conversation throughout the night, which I obviously somewhat expected, some more than others and some didn’t even talk about it. Just like any other aspect of my life, it’s a small part of who I am and I think they got that vibe from me as well.”
We’ll have to wait and see which contestants he’s talking about here—perhaps standout Bri with the fake Australian accent?
2. He’s talked to some of his exes about the show
The other reason people are super excited to watch Colton find true love is because of his past loves: in addition to his time spent with Becca Kufrin on The Bachelorette, he dated Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman from 2016 to 2017, as well as former Bachelor contestant Tia Booth, who appeared on Arie’s season and later on Bachelor in Paradise with Colton. Colton is looking toward the future, however, and some of his exes even helped guide him as he prepared for this journey.
“I actually talked to both Becca and Tia prior to starting The Bachelor and after The Bachelor,” he revealed. “Becca has been great to give me advice, I still consider her a friend of mine, and same with Tia. She only has the warmest of wishes for me. Obviously she’s very happy and in a relationship now and I’m very glad to see that. Obviously Becca and Garrett are doing well, too.”
And as for Aly? “I have not spoken with Aly since we broke up,” Colton said.
3. He’s focused on finding true love more than anything else
It seems like Colton kept the focus on himself this season, rather than on anything in the past: “I think like, it’s just all about people’s experiences and how they go through this. You go through it in your own unique way. As far as the success goes, I don’t know the exact statistics or the exact couples that have lasted off of all of this. But like I said, everyone has their own experiences. Everybody goes through it in their own way, but as long as you stay true to yourself and really focus on what matters, that’s all that matters.”
Colton is committed to avoiding spoilers about what specifically will go down, though. Asked whether or not he did eventually have sex, Colton kept it vague and responded, “I knew that was going to be asked at some point in this. I always said from the beginning that I’m waiting for the right heart and someone that I feel like I could spend the rest of my life with, to share that moment with and I think that’s what The Bachelor is all about, is trying to find that. And I would, by answering that question, be spoiling the season and I wouldn’t want to do that to you.”
He was equally tight-lipped when asked if he is currently in love, simply saying, “I’m exactly where I need to be in my life right now.”
4. This season is going to be an emotional rollercoaster
Colton did, however, promise that this season is definitely going to be a ride. “This season wasn’t the easiest for me, there were ups and downs and at times it got really challenging, it got really hard and it really pushed me, but it allowed me to grow and I think this is going to be an unbelievable season and I can’t wait for everybody to sort of go on this journey with me,” he said. “I don’t want to give you the typical tune in and find out, but it’s one of those things…I’m really excited to share this whole entire thing with you guys because I feel like the women on this season were unbelievable and the places that we got to travel were absolutely insane. You guys are in for a really good one.”