Bachelor Nation Producers Are Under Fire for Letting These Types of Men on 'The Bachelorette'
If there’s one thing Bachelor Nation loves, it’s a hot seat. But this time, it’s not a juicy tell-all from an eliminated contestant stirring the pot; it’s the casting department that’s feeling the heat. Gil Ramirez, from the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette, and Devin Strader, the winner of Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette, both had restraining orders against them before joining the show. Fans and critics alike are questioning just what it takes to get through the show’s vetting process — and whether it’s really keeping dangerous personalities from slipping through the cracks.
On Sept. 19, a few days after the first episode of The Golden Bachelorette aired, People uncovered court documents revealing that Ramirez had a history of stalking, and that his ex-girlfriend was granted a restraining order from him on June 11; the season started filming nine days later.
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Despite the producers’ claims that this legal filing occurred after their “thorough background investigation,” it didn’t do much to help the show’s case in the eyes of fans. The woman alleged Ramirez made repeated unwanted contacts with her and her family, although the restraining order was ultimately dismissed for lack of prosecution.
While Ramirez’s past raised eyebrows, Strader’s discretions came to light in the public eye following the live finale, where he and Tran announced their breakup. Tran made Bachelor Nation history as the first woman to propose to a man on the series — specifically to Strader, who firmly denies the abuse allegations linked to a 2017 restraining order filed by an ex-girlfriend. Strader claimed he did not have a restraining order against him, but court documents say otherwise, detailing claims of physical, verbal, and mental abuse, citing incidents such as a chokehold and property damage.
Marcus Shoberg, the runner-up in Tran’s season, also faced serious accusations from shocked exes who saw him on the show.
These are by no means the only Bachelor contestants to come under fire during recent seasons. The Golden Bachelor’s Gary Turner caught heat after his and Theresa Nist’s four-month marriage came to a screeching halt. Chris Harrison, the former host, faced backlash for defending a contestant’s racist actions, leading to his exit from the franchise in June 2021. The list of Bachelor scandals has been growing for some time, and now the real question is, how long can Bachelor Nation withstand them? It seems time for producers to reassess casting choices before the franchise’s reputation takes a nosedive — or, worse, someone is put in danger or hurt by a harmful contestant.
Before you go, click here to see the most dramatic splits in Bachelor and Bachelorette history.
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