01of 19The First BachelorBob D’Amico/ABCIn 2002, the very first season ofThe Bachelorpremiered, with Harvard and Stanford graduate and businessman, Alex Michel.
01of 19
The First Bachelor
Bob D’Amico/ABC
In 2002, the very first season ofThe Bachelorpremiered, with Harvard and Stanford graduate and businessman, Alex Michel.
02of 19The First BacheloretteBob D’Amico/Walt Disney Television via GettyWhen she didn’t get the final rose on Michel’s season ofThe Bachelor, Trista Rehn got a second chance at love (and found it!) when she starred as the franchise’s first Bachelorette in 2003.
02of 19
The First Bachelorette
Bob D’Amico/Walt Disney Television via Getty
When she didn’t get the final rose on Michel’s season ofThe Bachelor, Trista Rehn got a second chance at love (and found it!) when she starred as the franchise’s first Bachelorette in 2003.
03of 19
Dala Yitzhak/Walt Disney Television via Getty
Rehnfell in love with firefighter Ryan Sutterand the two married on Dec. 6, 2003, in the franchise’s first-ever televised wedding, broadcast as a mini-series,Trista & Ryan’s Wedding. The pairare still married, 17 years later!
04of 19
Trista Sutter/Instagram
05of 19The First Bachelor Who Didn’t End Up with Either Woman …CRAIG SJODIN/ABC/GettyBrad Womack was the suitor for the show’s 11th season, but shocked everyone when he didn’t give out a final rose at all, leaving finalists Jenni Croft and DeAnna Pappas in the lurch.
05of 19
The First Bachelor Who Didn’t End Up with Either Woman …
CRAIG SJODIN/ABC/Getty
Brad Womack was the suitor for the show’s 11th season, but shocked everyone when he didn’t give out a final rose at all, leaving finalists Jenni Croft and DeAnna Pappas in the lurch.
06of 19… and Then Appeared as the Bachelor AgainBrad Womack on Season 15.Mark Wessels/Walt Disney Television via GettyDon’t worry,TheBachelorgods (a.k.a. Chris Harrison) looked kindly upon Womack, and he ended up becoming the first guy to ever be Bachelor twice. He ended up with Emily Maynard after starring in the show’s 15th season, though the two broke off their engagement shortly after filming. (She then went on to beThe Bachelorette,of course.)
06of 19
… and Then Appeared as the Bachelor Again
Brad Womack on Season 15.Mark Wessels/Walt Disney Television via Getty
Don’t worry,TheBachelorgods (a.k.a. Chris Harrison) looked kindly upon Womack, and he ended up becoming the first guy to ever be Bachelor twice. He ended up with Emily Maynard after starring in the show’s 15th season, though the two broke off their engagement shortly after filming. (She then went on to beThe Bachelorette,of course.)
07of 19
The First Time There Were Two Bachelorettes
Rick Rowell/Walt Disney Television via Getty
08of 19
The First Time Someone Ended Up with Their Runner-Up
Melissa Rycroft, Jason Mesnick and Molly Mesnick.KEVIN CASEY via Getty
The star ofThe Bachelorproposed to Melissa Rycroft at the end of season 13, only tochange his mind and break up with her onAfter the Final Roseand ask Molly Malaney for another chance. The pair ended up getting married in 2010 and have been together for 10 years.
09of 19The First Bachelor in Paradise WeddingJohn and Joseph PhotographyJade Roper and Tanner Tolbert met on season 2 ofBachelor in Paradise,ending the season with an engagement and following it up with anon-air wedding in 2016. They now have three children together.
09of 19
The First Bachelor in Paradise Wedding
John and Joseph Photography
Jade Roper and Tanner Tolbert met on season 2 ofBachelor in Paradise,ending the season with an engagement and following it up with anon-air wedding in 2016. They now have three children together.
10of 19
Nick Viall’s Multiple Tries for Love
Ida Mae Astute/ABC/Getty
Sure, Brad Womack was the Bachelor twice, but he’s got nothing on Nick Viall. Viall famously competed twice for love onThe Bachelorette, making it to the final rose ceremony both times, only to have Andi Dorfman and Kaitlyn Bristowe choose their other suitors.
11of 19The First Black BachelorettePaul Hebert/ABCRachel Lindsaymade quite the first impression when she competed on Nick Viall’s season ofThe Bachelor. So much so that, though she didn’t get his final rose, she became thefirst Black woman to star as the Bachelorette.Lindsaychose Bryan Abasolo in the end, and the pair wed in 2019.
11of 19
The First Black Bachelorette
Paul Hebert/ABC
Rachel Lindsaymade quite the first impression when she competed on Nick Viall’s season ofThe Bachelor. So much so that, though she didn’t get his final rose, she became thefirst Black woman to star as the Bachelorette.Lindsaychose Bryan Abasolo in the end, and the pair wed in 2019.
12of 19The Show’s First Virgin LeadEric McCandless/ABCColton Underwood’s virginity was ahuge part of the conversationboth when hecompeted for Becca Kufrin’s heartonThe Bacheloretteandwhen he eventually became the Bachelor.
12of 19
The Show’s First Virgin Lead
Eric McCandless/ABC
Colton Underwood’s virginity was ahuge part of the conversationboth when hecompeted for Becca Kufrin’s heartonThe Bacheloretteandwhen he eventually became the Bachelor.
13of 19The First Same-Sex CoupleDemi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty.John Fleenor via GettyIn 2019, Demi Burnett appeared onBachelor in Paradiseand came out as bisexual while on the show. With a little help from Chris Harrison and some Bachelor Nation magic, Burnett was reunited with her then-girlfriend Kristian Haggerty. They became the franchise’s first same-sex couple andgot engaged on the show. The pairsplit in October 2019.
13of 19
The First Same-Sex Couple
Demi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty.John Fleenor via Getty
In 2019, Demi Burnett appeared onBachelor in Paradiseand came out as bisexual while on the show. With a little help from Chris Harrison and some Bachelor Nation magic, Burnett was reunited with her then-girlfriend Kristian Haggerty. They became the franchise’s first same-sex couple andgot engaged on the show. The pairsplit in October 2019.
14of 19
The First Bachelor Nation Divorce
Chris Randone and Krystal Nielson.Ella DeGea/Getty
15of 19
Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty Images
In March 2020, it was announced thatCrawley would get another chance at love, this time as theoldest Bachelorette in the franchise’s historyat 39.
Fans were first introduced to Crawley in 2014 on season 18 ofThe Bacheloras she vied forJuan Pablo Galavis' heart.
16of 19The First Time a Bachelorette Was ReplacedCraig Sjodin/ABC (2)When Crawleyfell in love with Dale Moss(and decided toleave her seasononly a few weeks in) viewers weren’t sure what would become ofThe Bachelorette. That is, untilTayshia Adams stepped inand became the season’s second leading lady. She ended up with contestant Zac Clark, whoproposed during the season finale, making it the first season with a double proposal, too!
16of 19
The First Time a Bachelorette Was Replaced
Craig Sjodin/ABC (2)
When Crawleyfell in love with Dale Moss(and decided toleave her seasononly a few weeks in) viewers weren’t sure what would become ofThe Bachelorette. That is, untilTayshia Adams stepped inand became the season’s second leading lady. She ended up with contestant Zac Clark, whoproposed during the season finale, making it the first season with a double proposal, too!
17of 19
The First Latina Leads
Clare Crawley, Tayshia Adams.Jesse Grant/Getty; Paul Archuleta/Getty
Crawley — whose mother is Mexican and father is white — toldMitúthat her status as the first Latina leading lady wasn’t ever discussed during casting. “That’s not something that was ever really brought up to me or ever even made a point,” she told the outlet. “I would gladly take the Latina Bachelorette!” the now 39-year-old joked. “That’s way better than saying I’m theoldestBachelorette!”
Adams is also Mexican on her mother’s side. The latest Bachelorette toldET,“Not only am I the second African American Bachelorette but I’m biracial — I’m also Mexican — so it is just an amazing opportunity to have been given a platform for women that are like me to see somebody represented and for me to find love and just show what that looks like,” she added. “I am happy to have that platform to do so.”
18of 19
Matt James Becomes the First Black Bachelor
Matt James.Matt James/Instagram
Originally meant to compete for Clare Crawley’s heart, James ended up becoming a fan favorite after quarantining withBachelorettealumnus and roommateTyler Cameronduring the coronavirus pandemic andmaking a name for himself on TikTok.
19of 19
First Joint Bachelorettes
Though there was a lot of controversy (and a lot of drama) involved in casting two Bachelorettes vying for the same group of 25 guys' hearts — butas the two face down the finale, they say they “wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
source: people.com
