Why Former 'Bachelorette' Hannah Brown Can't Watch This Season of 'The Bachelor'
The former 'Bachelorette' and 'DWTS' winner may not be watching 'The Bachelor,' but she hopes that Zach Shallcross is truly happy at the end.
After a more-than-three-year absence, Hannah Brown has returned to reality TV but this time she isn’t looking for love or dance lessons. She’s looking to challenge herself on FOX’s grueling Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test to see if she’s made of all the right stuff, and the fact that she’s lasted so far in the season, says a lot about her grit and determination.
While Parade was talking to Hannah about Special Forces, we also checked in with her to see if she was watching Zach Shallcross’ season of The Bachelor. As fans of that show know, the beginning of Zach’s season wasn’t the most thrilling with some fans on social media labeling him the “Boring Bachelor.”
That kind of negativity is one of the reasons that Hannah says she’s not watching. While she’s especially appreciative of the support that she gets from Bachelor Nation, it’s hard for her when the Bachelor and Bachelorette get attacked on social media.
“I’m always super supportive,” she told Parade. “I think it’s hard to watch the seasons because I think part of the reason people like to watch it is they like to poke fun or say what they would and wouldn’t do. I have a lot of empathy for anybody on the show and don’t want to get into that cycle. But I’m really excited for Zach, and I hope that he has the best time and finds a person that he truly loves and is able to be really happy at the end of it.”
Related: Dating History, DJ-ing & Dieting! New ‘Bachelor’ Zach Shallcross’ Secrets Revealed!
As we know, Hannah didn’t have a happy ending. Her choice of Jed Wyatt was short lived when she learned he had a girlfriend back home in Tennessee and she quickly broke off their engagement. But that experience didn’t keep her down.
The former Miss Alabama USA 2018’s next appearance on a reality show was Season 23 of Dancing with the Stars. She and professional partner Alan Bersten won the title that year, and it may have been in large part due to the loyalty of her Bachelorette fans.
Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images
And the happy news is she is still dancing.
“I dance in the kitchen with my boyfriend [Adam Woolard],” she shared. “Last year, the last few months, we took some ballroom dance classes together. He naturally has some rhythm. We always were dancing in our apartment together and just having fun with it, so we did take a few classes and really liked it. We haven’t started back up, but it is something that I think we might do, because not only do I love it, but it also was really fun for us to do as a couple.”
Related: The Bachelorette and DWTS Winner Hannah Brown Gets Down and Dirty On 'Special Forces'
It would also be great if the couple—who met on a dating app and are not yet engaged—could have a romantic, beautiful first dance if that were to happen.
“People thought that’s what we were doing it for, and we’re like, ‘No, we just like to hang out with each other and also like to dance, so why not get good at it?’”
In the meantime, it is great exercise, which the celebrities who have performed on DWTS always say.
“For sure,” Hannah agreed. “We’re definitely in the basics of learning because this is Adam’s first time dancing like this. It’s harder for the guy at first because he has to lead. Once you learn how to do that, then I think it gets harder for the girl because you’re doing all the crazy stuff. But I think for us, we were just trying to learn the basics, so we weren’t working up a huge sweat. But yeah, once we get really good, it’ll be a great physical activity.”
While Hannah and Alan haven’t been in touch recently, the two did a catch up at last season’s finale, which Hannah attended.
"I saw him there and gave him a hug and said hello,” she said. “But I haven’t lately. I know that he’s on tour and I’m sure killing it.”
Whether or not there’s more reality TV in Hannah’s future remains to be seen, but she does say that her aspiration is to use the opportunities that have come from appearing on these shows to date.
“These amazing shows have really changed my life,” she said. “[I want] to keep getting better every day and be able to encourage people who connect with me to do the same.”
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test airs Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.