Getty Colton Underwood attends the Disney ABC Television TCA Summer Press Tour.
Before The Bachelor season 23 even premiered, “#TheBachelor” was trending on Twitter. Fans of the show are excited to see what drama unfolds, and the show’s host, Chris Harrison, even tweeted out a message this morning that “no it is not too early to start drinking wine.” But this season’s bachelor, former NFL player Colton Underwood, has been getting social media attention since it was first announced that he was chosen for season 23.
The hate toward Underwood as the next bachelor was partially due to the timing of the announcement. After the news was revealed, USA Today pointed out that, just one day prior, Underwood’s breakup with fan-favorite Tia Booth on Bachelor in Paradise had aired. USA Today added that, after two different appearances within The Bachelor franchise, “Colton has a reputation for being indecisive and emotional, and it’s easy to envision a scenario in which a number of women end up with broken hearts because he can’t decide what he wants.”
Negative opinions from the Bachelor super-fandom were quickly made known on Twitter, with tweets that expressed why they thought 26-year-old Underwood would be a terrible bachelor, and who they would have preferred to see in his place.
#TheBachelor
Good Morning America: COLTON IS THE NEXT BACHELOR!!!
Bachelor Nation:
Many fans of the show wanted the next bachelor to be Jason Tartick, a contestant who made it to the final 3 of Becca’s Bachelorette season (the same season Underwood competed in). Tartick even told Radar Online that he was approached to be The Bachelor, before losing the spot to Underwood. He said in the interview “I am not sure why they didn’t pick me. There were meetings I wasn’t a part of. That’s above my head.”
When the news broke and reviews were mixed about the reality television dating competition’s selection, Underwood spoke with ET Online exclusively. He told ET that he hadn’t paid too much attention to the hate, adding “But I’m not perfect… I’m just focused on finding my wife and being here and living in the moment.” Later in the interview, Underwood somewhat acknowledged the reason he was receiving backlash, saying that those past experiences prepared him for his coveted position as The Bachelor: “There probably would’ve been a little hesitation if I didn’t do Bachelorette or Bachelor in Paradise before, because it finally allowed me to take a step back from the situation and see what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown.”
This morning, before the season premiere, Underwood seemed to reference his critics again, tweeting “You think you know who I am? This changed everything…” along with his The Bachelor poster.
Ahead of the premiere, some Twitter users poked fun at Underwood yet again, pointing out the number of contestants who resemble Underwood’s ex, Tia, but blonde.
#TheBachelor producers: “So Colton, what are you looking for in a woman?
Colton: “1. Not Tia, 2. Blonde.”
Producers: “Done.”
#BachelorNation
As the The Bachelor premiere of Colton Underwood’s quest for love nears, however, fans are ultimately excited. If not out of support of the franchise’s pick, they’re ready for the inevitable drama to unfold.
Tune in to ABC to find out if Colton Underwood finds love on The Bachelor on Mondays at 8pm ET, premiering January 6.