When ABC’s reality dating series known as The Bachelor first began, it was all about helping people from all walks of life find true love. Today, as the show has grown in popularity and success with several spinoffs, potential for more social media exposure and other reality TV opportunities, there has definitely been an added element of celebrity status. We’ve compiled a list of 13 former Bachelor stars who have celebrity connections! Check it out:
13. Ben Flajnik
Ben Flajnik first tried his hand at love on The Bachelorette as he competed for Ashley Hebert’s finale rose. Unfortunately, he didn’t win, but it led him to become the season 16 Bachelor. By the looks of it, Ben doesn’t need much help with the ladies! He’s been romantically linked to actress Jennifer Love Hewitt (whom he said he turned down after there wasn’t a ‘spark’ on their date) and is good friends with momager, Kris Jenner. Rumors swirled that he once dated Kris Jenner, but he talked to People and cleared the air. “Kris is a very, very dear friend of mine. We are not dating, we’re just working on a couple of projects together, so that’s why we’ve been seen a lot as of late,” he said.
2
12. Nick Viall
Nick Viall is well known in Bachelor nation! He’s appeared on The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise and starred as The Bachelor in season 21. While he’s still been unlucky in the love department after all of that, it seems things could be turning around for him. He’s recently been linked to Mad Men actress January Jones after the two were caught flirting on social media. In a recent appearance on The Late Late Show, Jones revealed Viall had reached out to her to battle him on Lip Sync Battle, but she turned him down because she didn’t want to be ‘humiliated.’ Despite rejecting his proposal, she did admit she’s attracted to him! “You don’t know if you like him or if he’s a scumbag — and I think that’s why I’m attracted to him, maybe?” she joked.
Rick Rowell/ABC
3
11. Adam Wells
One of the biggest (and most recent) celebrity connections on this list is between former Bachelor in Paradise star Adam Wells and Modern Family star Sarah Hyland. The two sparked romance rumors after they were spotted together on Halloween, and later confirmed these rumors with some flirtatious Instagram posts. It’s now extremely evident these two are together and happier than ever!
4
10. Courtney Robertson
This Bachelor alum has been deemed one of the biggest villains of the entire series! Even though she might not be our favorite former contestant, we do love to hate her and whether we liked it or not, she won Ben Flajnik’s season of The Bachelor. Ben and Courtney are no longer together, but she seems to have no problem finding love because she’s been previously linked to stars like Jesse Metcalfe, Adrian Grenier, and Gerard Butler (according to her tell-all).
5
9. Arie Luyendyk Jr.
Arie Luyendyk Jr. is the current star of The Bachelor‘s 22nd season. He was also the runner-up on Emily Maynard’s season of The Bachelorette. After having his heart broken on national television, Arie returned to racing. His celebrity connection is his father, who is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree with these two because Arie also became a well known when he placed 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the Indy Light Series Championship over a number of years. He’s competed in a number of sports-car series and was named a test-driver in the A1 Grand Prix in 2007-2008.
6
8. Josh Murray
We all know Josh Murray from his two major Bachelor nation relationships. He appeared on Andi Dorfman’s season of The Bachelorette and won. The two got engaged but broke up shortly after. He then appeared on Bachelor in Paradise where he met and became engaged to Amanda Stanton. The two have enjoyed an on and off again relationship that has kept him in the headlines. But aside from all that, his real celebrity connection is his older brother, Aaron Murray, who is a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs.
7
7. Shayne Lamas
She’s following in her father’s footsteps as an aspiring actress who once appeared on season 12 of The Bachelor. Her father Lorenzo Lamas, a Golden Globe nominee, has been acting since the ’70s. He has held roles on shows like Falcon Crest, Renegade, The Bold and the Beautiful, and starred in his own reality series, Leave It to Lamas. Shayne’s brother is also an actor who appeared on As the World Turns, and Shayne herself once had a small role on General Hospital.
8
6. Jordan Rodgers
Jordan Rodgers is one of many Bachelor nation alums who come from a background of professional athletes. Rodgers career in the NFL is minimal. He never actually played in an NFL game, but he was an undrafted free agent in 2013 and played on practice and preseason teams for Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins. His real celebrity connection is his brother, Aaron Rodgers who is a Green Bay Packers quarterback. Aaron Rodgers also dated Hollywood actress Olivia Munn from 2014 to 2017. Jordan currently works for ESPN as a college football analyst.
Photo by MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock
9
5. Cassandra Ferguson
There’s hardly any evidence left on her social media, but former Bachelor contestant Cassandra Ferguson once dated and was even engaged to NBA player Rodney Stuckey. In fact, they share a son, Trey, together. Apparently, she’s attracted to professional athletes because when she was on The Bachelor back in 2014, she was competing for soccer player Juan Pablo’s final rose! After she was cut from the show, she got back together with Stuckey and the two became engaged but broke it off once again shortly after.
10
4. Charlie O’Connell
If Charlie O’Connell looks familiar, that’s because he is! This former Bachelor star handed out roses to his pick of women during season 7. In addition to this reality TV fame, he’s also held small roles in films like Dude, Where’s My Car?, Sliders, and The New Guy. If that’s not enough, he’s also related to famous Hollywood actor, Jerry O’Connell, who’s well known for his roles in Sliders, My Secret Identity, Stand by Me, Jerry Maguire and Scream 2. The two also happen to look very much alike!
BEI/Rex Shutterstock
11
3. JoJo Fletcher
At first glance, many people would assume JoJo’s celebrity connection is her fiance Jordan Rodgers, but that’s not it! While it’s true, he comes with his own set of celebrity connections, she has connections of her own…well, sort of. Her stepbrother Ben Patton appeared on Eva Longoria’s reality show Ready for Love back in 2013. A quick glance at his Twitter page shows the two remained close for a while after the show ended. Longoria tweeted about hanging out with Patton as recently as 2015.
12
2. Lucinda Aragon
We first met Lucy Aragon on The Bachelor back in 2014 where she made a name for herself as a free-spirited hippie. She continued her time in Bachelor nation on Bachelor in Paradise. Outside of all this, she’s been romantically linked to Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel and is best friends with model Kate Upton!
13
1. Emily Maynard
This former Bachelor and Bachelorette star has now become quite the celebrity in her own right, but prior to appearing on the show, she had a connection of her own. She was engaged to NASCAR racer Ricky Hendrick, the youngest rookie to ever win a race. Sadly, Hendrick passed away in 2004 in a tragic airplane accident that also claimed the lives of seven members of his family and friends. Emily found out she was pregnant shortly after he died. She welcomed a daughter named Josephine Riddick “Ricki” Hendrick on June 29, 2005.