The Bachelor's Vetting Process Was Questioned After Colton Underwood's Stalking And Harassment Scandal

Summary

• The Bachelor's contestants undergo a rigorous vetting process, including background checks and psychological evaluations, but past controversies suggest the process isn't foolproof.
• Colton Underwood's stalking and harassment scandal with ex-girlfriend Cassie Randolph raised questions about the show's vetting process.
• Underwood and Randolph reportedly reached a private resolution after the scandal, but Randolph appears to want to distance herself from the controversy.

The Bachelor might be one of the most-watched reality dating shows on television, but that certainly doesn’t mean it has a spotless reputation. From season 25 winner Rachel Kirkconnell facing intense backlash for attending an antebellum-plantation-themed party to Garrett Yrigoyen sparking outrage for liking posts that mocked Parkland shooting survivors, the franchise has its fair share of skeletons in the closet.

With each scandal, fans have questioned the show’s vetting process, wondering if future contestants and leads should be subjected to far more rigorous screening before getting cast on the show. This sentiment was especially prevalent after reports surfaced that season 23’s Colton Underwood allegedly stalked and harassed his ex-girlfriend Cassie Randolph post-show.

In this article, we dive into fans’ reactions to Underwood’s stalking scandal, questioning whether he was vetted at all before starring on the show and if he and Randolph are still in contact after their explosive fallout.

The Bachelor Was Slammed For Not Vetting Its Contestants After Colton Underwood’s Stalking And Harassment Scandal

Fans were convinced that season 23’s Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph would be among the handful of Bachelor couples who’ve made their love last, especially after Underwood jumped over a fence to pursue Randolph after she left the show prematurely. Unfortunately, the two ended up calling it quits just two years after the show wrapped, joining the many Bachelor couples who didn’t make it post-show.

Things took a dark turn in September 2020 when reports emerged that Cassie had filed a restraining order against Colton, alleging that he had relentlessly stalked her, sent threatening text messages, and even planted a tracking device in her vehicle.

Months later, Colton had a sit-down with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, where he publicly came out as gay.

“I just wish I wouldn't have dragged people into my own mess of figuring out who I was. I genuinely mean that,” he said at the time. “But I also at the same time like but I can sit here and say I'm sorry to all those women and can also say thank you because without them and without the bachelor franchise, I don't know if like this would have ever came out.”

The explosive revelation drew mixed reactions from fans, with some, like Real Housewives star Carole Radziwill, questioning why “the entire country” was “celebrating a man who stalked and harassed his ex-girlfriend.”

She wrote in a separate tweet:

“I'm happy for Colton to be living his truth now. Is anyone talking about whether @ABC executives should be vetting their contestants better? Or what the women think? @RobinRoberts @BachelorABC What's good?”

Although Radziwill was mercilessly skewered for her posts, with some users wondering whether she expected the show to “vet sexuality,” some fans seemed to share her sentiments regarding Underwood’s alleged treatment of Randolph post-show.

“Colton coming out and then announcing a Netflix special in what seems to be an attempt to bury the fact that he stalked and harassed his ex-girlfriend, going as far to put a tracker on her car, is just *chef’s kiss* we love that. Good job, @netflix,” one fan weighed in on X at the time.

Did Colton Underwood Undergo Any Sort Of Vetting Process Before He Starred In The Bachelor Season 23?

Despite the controversies that have plagued its cast over the years, prospective Bachelor stars do undergo a rigorous vetting process before joining the show. According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, applicants are expected to pass a thorough background check and submit to a pretty comprehensive psychological and physical evaluation.

Given that Underwood had previously appeared on season 14 of The Bachelorette, it’s highly likely that he passed this rigorous vetting process on multiple occasions. However, as is apparent from the numerous controversies that have plagued the show over the years, such as the inclusion of contestants with sketchy social media activity and criminal records, the process isn’t exactly foolproof—a fact that former host Chris Harrison didn’t shy away from admitting in a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“We’re evolving and changing and doing the best you can. But there will be things that come up," he said. "You hate to be reactive; you’d love to be proactive. But you can only be so proactive. Stuff is going to happen, so you just do the best you can with the information you have at the time.”

Former Bachelors, like season 21’s Nick Viall, have also expressed concerns about the show’s flawed vetting process.

The 43-year-old shared with People in June 2018:

“[The vetting process] is clearly an issue. The Garrett [Yrigoyen] thing, obviously it’s inappropriate, [but] I think it’s harder. I don’t know how that process works. The Lincoln [Adim] thing, unfortunately, it’s a big mistake, and I think something that they need to really look in to.”

Are Colton Underwood And Cassie Randolph Still In Contact After Their Explosive Stalking And Harassment Scandal?

Months after the scandal made headlines, Cassie Randolph dropped both the restraining order and the police investigation she had launched against Colton Underwood. The decision came after the Bachelor alums reportedly reached a private resolution on the matter.

The two don’t appear to have remained in close contact after the debacle, with Randolph eager to distance herself from Underwood.

A source close to the former Bachelor star revealed to PageSix:

“Cassie really just wants to move past any drama having to do with Colton. She’s being roped back into all this Colton mess because of the Netflix show... There are a lot of bad memories associated with the end of their relationship and she wishes there was a way to completely separate herself from his narrative.”

Although Randolph has never publicly commented on the scandal, Underwood did spare a moment to publicly apologize to her during his explosive 2021 interview with Good Morning America.

“I got into a place with my personal life that was dark, and bad, and I can list a bunch of different things, but they’d all be excuses," he said at the time. "I’d like to say sorry for how things ended. I messed up. I made a lot of bad choices.”

The Bachelorette alum reiterated his apology in a May 2021 interview with Variety, emphasizing that his coming out was by no means meant to brush over his alleged harassment of Randolph post-show.

“I never want people to think that I’m coming out to change the narrative, or to brush over and not take responsibility for my actions, and now that I have this gay life that I don’t have to address my past as a straight man,” he shared with the outlet. “Controlling situations to try to grasp at any part of the straight fantasy that I was trying to live out was so wrong.”