Brayden Bowers Shares What He's Looking for on 'Bachelor in Paradise'
Brayden Bowers is not done with reality TV.
On The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All special, Charity Lawson’s troublemaking ex-suitor was announced as a Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 cast member.
Bold Brayden, known for his statement earrings and tussles with his fellow competitors for Charity’s heart, will soon be seen on the franchise’s sister show.
The hunk recently talked to Parade about how things came together for him to continue his controversial reality show career, this time on the beach in Mexico with other Bachelor Nation stars.
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So what do we know about Brayden and his new gig?
Read on to find out more!
Who is Brayden Bowers?
Brayden is a travel nurse who competed on Charity Lawson's Season 20 of The Bachelorette.
Where is Brayden Bowers from?
Brayden’s hometown is San Diego, California.
How old is Brayden Bowers?
Brayden is 25 years old.
Why did Brayden stand out on The Bachelorette?
Brayden became the breakout villain of Charity’s season of The Bachelorette by flaunting eye-catching earrings and generally appearing arrogant.
Although Charity’s brother, Nehemiah Lawson, warned her about his boasting, she gave Brayden her first impression rose on the premiere. She told Parade they had strong chemistry.
But Brayden got angry at Charity for giving the longest kiss in Bachelor Nation history to rival Joey Graziadei—in front of other men.
He went bonkers when rival Aaron Bryant told Charity about his bad behavior.
He kept threatening to leave the show, and Charity finally walked him out on episode 4, after he had told her, “I feel like I like you, but I don’t want to be here right now.”
Brayden enraged the other Bachelorette competitors by returning briefly to apologize to Charity, before leaving again as the guys shouted at him.
How did Brayden get cast in Bachelor in Paradise?
The hunk told Parade during a recent interview that he took his time before committing to do another Bachelor Nation show.
“[BIP producers] reached out to me like a month after I was off the [Bachelorette]," he said. "I had had a little bit of a cooling off period, got to talk to a counselor and see if it was something I really wanted. I really want to be able to get to a point where I can get married to someone. I know that everyone was kind of coming there with that intention of possibly seeing if you could have a relationship.”
Why does Brayden think Paradise might be a better fit for him?
He told Parade, “I think it seems like a more natural environment, you know what I mean? It’s like, you’re not forced into this position where you have to be [saying], I’m definitely going to get married. I think the reason why Bachelorette affected me so much was like, I couldn’t guarantee her that I was going to be at a place at the end of it where I was going to get down on a knee. And so, Bachelor in Paradise, there’s not that same expectation…I’m open to finding someone I want to have a relationship with. For me, I want to be committed.”
Why did other dating methods not work for Brayden?
The travel nurse explained to Parade, “When I’m on a travel contract, you work for 13 weeks straight. It’s like, sometimes the hours aren’t really amazing. As far as like dating, bouncing around, it’s not the easiest. I’ve explored many different avenues to try to meet people. The dating apps don’t work for me. It’s not really my cup of tea. It’s like a buffet and everyone is looking at other people like they get to try every flavor and it’s never somewhere where you’re like, this is the best meal I’ve ever had. It’s more like, oh, on to the next one. I didn’t really like that dynamic of dating apps. I figured maybe [reality shows] is an avenue I haven’t tried before.”
What is he most looking forward to on Paradise?
“Being on the beach. I love being at the beach and I think that being at the beach and getting to meet someone at the beach is going to be amazing because it will make me feel like I’m at home,” the San Diego guy said. “It’s a comfortable environment for me. I’ll feel like I’m in my natural habitat.”
Can we expect the same style choices?
“I’m still going to wear the earrings,” on BIP, Brayden said. “I love them. They make me feel good. I like wearing kooky stuff. It’s a cool way to express yourself. I’m a kooky guy and if I can express myself in the way I dress, I will.”
Who will Brayden hook up with on BIP?
On “The Men Tell All” special, a preview Paradise video showed Brayden kissing a familiar face from Zach Shallcross’ season of The Bachelor.
ABC/Ricky Middlesworth
“Kat Izzo is a great kisser,” he smiled to cameras of the beautiful blonde. “Ten out of ten.”
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