Standing by his opinion. Colton Underwood doesn’t have any regrets about questioning The Bachelor franchise and the help they provide their contestants.
“[It] doesn’t imply I’m not grateful for the chance that they supplied me. I do respect them altering my life in such an effective way. However in addition they maintain an enormous accountability in ensuring that the psychological well being of their contestants and of their cash makers, to be very trustworthy with you, is taken care of,” Underwood, 30, solely instructed Us Weekly on Tuesday, March 15, whereas selling his new present Past the Edge.
Colton Underwood. Matt Baron/Shutterstock
The previous athlete believes that the folks behind the profitable courting competitors collection may do extra. “They profit drastically off of our faces, off of our likeness [and] off of our tales,” he stated. “The one factor that they will do higher is to comply with up and just be sure you are mentally OK earlier than they make selections to make higher TV over your psychological well being.”
Viewers initially met Underwood when he joined Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette in 2018. After ending season 14 single, the previous NFL participant appeared on season 5 of Bachelor in Paradise earlier than he grew to become the season 23 Bachelor.
The previous athlete left the present with Cassie Randolph in 2019, however the duo known as it quits one 12 months later amid a tumultuous relationship. 4 months after they introduced their break up in Could 2020, Us confirmed that Randolph, 26, was granted a restraining order towards Underwood after she claimed he was stalking and harassing her. The case was dropped in November 2020.
The Indiana native later opened up about his private life when he got here out as homosexual.
“This 12 months’s been lots for lots of people and it’s in all probability made lots of people take a look at themselves within the 12 months and determine who they’re,” he shared throughout an interview with Good Morning America in April 2021. “I’ve ran from myself for a very long time, I’ve hated myself for a very long time. I’m homosexual. I got here to phrases with that earlier this 12 months, and the subsequent step in all of this was kind of letting folks know. … I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been in my life. Which means the world to me.”
Trying again at his time on the hit ABC collection, Underwood admitted that he wouldn’t have modified the chance.
“Genuinely in my coronary heart of hearts, I can’t thank them sufficient for letting me be a Bachelor. I really don’t consider I might’ve got here out of the closet if it wasn’t for the franchise and having that life expertise,” the Indiana native shared with Us. “And whereas I’ve learn the feedback that my season was a waste, it saved my life on the finish of the day. So for my part, it wasn’t a waste. If I assist one or two males or ladies on the market which might be nonetheless combating their sexuality, then I take into account it a really useful season.”
Underwood, who lately introduced his engagement to Jordan C. Brown, opened up concerning the huge lesson he discovered from having others weigh in on his life. “Individuals are at all times gonna have opinions and persons are at all times not gonna agree with the selections that you just make in your life. However on the finish of the day, it’s your life and it’s your happiness,” he instructed Us.
He continued: “So I might moderately decide that’s unpopular, however makes me joyful and makes me fulfilled and makes me liked than to bow all the way down to what the general public desires to see or was anticipating to see or hear from me.”
The previous skilled soccer participant wish to see present Bachelor Clayton Echard take that recommendation, including, “I haven’t watched the season, however my coronary heart goes out to Clayton and I hope he has a tremendous help system and group round him heading into the finale of the present.”
Since leaving the Bachelor franchise, Underwood was excited to have a change of tempo with the brand new actuality collection Past the Edge. The upcoming CBS collection options 9 celebrities as they ditch their on a regular basis lives to reside in a Panama jungle.
“I wanted one thing lighthearted and enjoyable and aggressive. Whereas lots of people may not view the jungle as that, I wanted that as a result of I put a lot of myself into actuality TV, that it was simply very nice to have that second within the jungle, away from telephones, distractions and opinions,” Underwood detailed to Us.
Although the expertise was enriching, Underwood revealed that the journey got here with its personal set of challenges. “There was positively moments that I used to be exhausted. I used to be finished,” he stated. “I didn’t really feel like I had lots in me, however you already know, on the finish of the day, while you’re enjoying for a charity and also you’re trying round on the different folks which might be standing by your facet, making an attempt to work, it’s actually motivating and provoking.”
Past the Edge premieres on CBS on Wednesday, March 16 at 9 p.m. ET. It will likely be accessible to stream reside and on demand on Paramount+.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
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