All the Failed Romances of ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette’ (with a Few Exceptions)
Thank you, ABC, for a combined 44 seasons of breakups, makeups and hookups courtesy of our favorite dating franchise: The Bachelor. While the show typically ends with an engagement, it sometimes results in heartbreak—like former Bachelorette Michelle Young, who recently called it quits with Nayte Olukoya.
In honor of Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey’s upcoming season of The Bachelorette, we decided to take a look back at all of the Bachelor Nation relationships and rank them based on how long they lasted—with a few noteworthy exceptions.
1. 'The Bachelor' Season 11: Brad Womack And...
Length: 0 Days. Womack chose neither of his final ladies...ruining the entire show. Not cool, Brad.
2. 'The Bachelor' Season 24: Peter Weber and Madison Prewett
Length: Dated for three days
3. 'The Bachelor' Season 13: Jason Mesnick and Melissa Rycroft
Length: Engaged for three weeks
4. 'The Bachelor' Season 10: Andrew Baldwin and Tessa Horst
Length: Engaged for four weeks
5. 'The Bachelor' Season 2: Aaron Buerge and Helene Eksterowicz
Length: Engaged for five weeks
6. 'The Bachelor' Season 8: Travis Lane Stork and Sarah Stone
Length: Dated for five weeks
7. 'The Bachelor' Season 22: Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Becca Kufrin
Length: Engaged for 1.5 months
8. 'The Bachelor' Season 4: Bob Guiney and Estella Gardinier
Length: Dated for seven weeks
9. 'The Bachelor' Season 19: Chris Soules and Whitney Bischoff
Length: Engaged for two months
10. 'The Bachelorette' Season 3: Jerry Ferris and Jennifer Schefft
Length: Dated for two months
11. 'The Bachelorette' Season 15: Hannah Brown and Jed Wyatt
Length: Engaged for 2 months
12. 'The Bachelorette' Season 17: Katie Thurston and Blake Moynes
Length: Engaged for two months
The couple got engaged on the season 17 finale. In October 2021, they announced their mutual split. “We are so grateful for the moments we shared together and the entire journey that has unfolded this year, but we ultimately have concluded that we are not compatible as life partners, and it is the most caring choice for both of us to move forward independently,” they said in a joint statement. “We ask for kindness and privacy as we both navigate this transition.”
13. 'The Bachelor' Season 5: Jesse Palmer and Jessica Bowlin
Length: Dated for three months
14. 'The Bachelorette' Season 8: Emily Maynard and Jef Holm
Length: Engaged for three months
15. 'The Bachelor' Season 12: Matt Grant and Shayne Lamas
Length: Engaged for three months
16. 'The Bachelor' Season 24: Peter Weber and Hannah Ann
Length: Engaged for three months
17. 'The Bachelor' Season 15: Brad Womack and Emily Maynard
Womack (not a typo) came back in season 15 and was engaged for four (inconsecutive) months. Small victories!
18. 'The Bachelor' Season 14: Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi
Length: Engaged for four months
19. 'The Bachelor' Season 9: Lorenzo Borghese and Jennifer Wilson
Length: Dated for five months
20. 'The Bachelor' Season 21: Nick Viall and Vanessa Grimaldi
Length: Engaged for five months
21. 'The Bachelorette' Season 4: DeAnna Pappas and Jesse Csincsak
Length: Engaged for five months
22. 'The Bachelorette' Season 10: Andi Dorfman and Josh Murray
Length: Engaged for six months
23. 'The Bachelorette' Season 16: Clare Crawley and Dale Moss
Length for: Engaged for 1 (inconsecutive) year
24. 'The Bachelor' Season 1: Alex Michel and Amanda Marsh
Length: Dated for seven months
25. 'The Bachelor' Season 3: Andrew Firestone and Jen Schefft
Length: Dated for seven months
26. 'The Bachelor' Season 16: Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson
Length: Engaged for eight (inconsecutive) months
27. 'The Bachelor' Season 18: Juan Pablo Galavis and Nikki Ferrell
Length: Dated for nine months
28. 'The Bachelorette' Season 2: Meredith Phillips and Ian Mckee
Length: Engaged for one year
29. 'The Bachelorette' Season 5: Jillian Harris and Ed Swiderski
Length: Engaged for one year
30. 'The Bachelor' Season 23: Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph
Length: Dated for one year
31. 'The Bachelorette' Season 16: Tayshia Adams and Zac Clark
Length: Engaged for one year
32. 'The Bachelorette' Season 18: Michelle Young & Nayte Olukoya
Length: Engaged for one year
33. 'The Bachelor' Season 20: Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell
Length: Engaged for one year, two months
34. 'The Bachelorette' Season 6: Ali Fedotowsky and Roberto Martinez
Length: Engaged for one year, three months
35. 'The Bachelorette' Season 14: Becca Kufrin and Garrett Yrigoyen
Length: Engaged for 2 years
36. 'The Bachelorette' Season 11: Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth
Length: Engaged for three years
37. 'The Bachelor' Season 7: Charlie O'Connell and Sarah Brice
Length: Dated for four (inconsecutive) years
38. 'The Bachelor' Season 6: Byron Velvick and Mary Delgado
Length: Engaged for five years
39. 'The Bachelorette' Season 7: Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum
Length: Married for 9 years
After a nine-month separation, the pair revealed that they’re calling it quits. Rosenbaum addressed the shocking divorce announcement on Instagram, writing, “I think we’ve both come to realize that we are just two very different people, with very different personalities and perspectives, who just don't see eye to eye on a lot of life fundamentals, those which are the building blocks for a happy and healthy marriage.”
Couples Still Together
1. 'The Bachelor' Season 26: Clayton Echard & Susie Evans
Together for: 1+ year
2. 'The Bachelor' Season 25: Matt James and Rachel Kirkconnell
Together for: 2+ year
After parting ways during the After the Final Rose special, the couple rekindled their relationship a few months later. “I’m not pursuing any relationships right now outside of that. I said I was going to focus on my relationship with her and that means focusing on it,” James told People.
3. 'The Bachelor' Season 22: Arie Luyendyk Jr and Lauren Burnham
Together for: 3+ years
They are parents to a daughter named Alessi (3) and 1-year-old twins: Senna and Lux.
4. 'The Bachelorette' Season 13: Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo
Together for: 4+ years
5. 'The Bachelorette' Season 12: Jojo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers
Together for: 5+ years
6. 'The Bachelorette' Season 9: Desiree Hartsock and Chris Siegfried
Together for: 8+ years
They have two sons, Asher (5) and Zander (3).
7. 'The Bachelor' Season 17: Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici
Together for: 9+ years
They have two sons, Samuel (6) and Isaiah (4), and a daughter named Mia (2).
8. 'The Bachelorette' Season 1: Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter
Together for: 19+ years
All hail Trista and Ryan! Rehn and Sutter are the ultimate Bachelor couple and have two kids, Maxwell (15) and Blakesley (13), to prove it.
'The Bachelorette' Season 19: Rachel Recchia & TBD
'The Bachelorette' Season 19: Gabby Windey & TBD
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