Pixabay Divorce papers.
After almost eight years of marriage and the births of two children, Bachelorette, Ashley Herbert and her final rose, J.P. Rosenbaum decided to call it quits. The divorce was finalized in October of 2021, according to E!News.
Post-Divorce Challenges
Since that time, Herbert and Rosenbaum have been trying to find the right balance to be good co-parents. Rosenbaum went on the “She’s All Bach” podcast on August 4, 2022 and talked about what’s been going on since the divorce. He explained that the couple splits custody of their two children, Essex and Fordham, fifty-fifty.
The host asked Rosenbaum if he and Herbert are amicable when dealing with the children. He responded, “we’re amicable. But we’re not friends.” He continued, “we speak to each other about the kids when we need to speak to each other about the kids.”
So how did one of the seemingly most solid couples to ever come out of Bachelor Nation end up not only being divorced, but also not even being friends?
Rosenbaum Reminisces
The 45-year-old real estate developer admitted on the podcast that he did not have any idea who the lead would be when he went on “The Bachelorette.” A friend had nominated him, and he had never seen a single episode. Even after the producers revealed to him who the Bachelorette was going to be, he was still clueless as to who Herbert was. He had to go look her up online.
Rosenbaum said he went into the show “with zero expectations.” His main goal was just to not be sent home on the first night. Other than that, he just thought he’d have a fun adventure and then go back to normal life. He was definitely not expecting to walk away engaged and ultimately married.
When he and Herbert were asked by Bachelor producers if they wanted to tie the knot on TV, Rosenbaum was “indifferent.” He said, “we might as well complete the story.” Herbert was concerned that it would feel more like a production than a wedding. But according to Rosenbaum, once the ceremony started, they forgot all about the cameras.
From the outside, it looked like Herbert and Rosenbaum had a perfect life. According to Blast, “Compared to many of their Bachelor Nation counterparts, the duo lived a low-key lifestyle with their son and daughter, (their son arrived two years after their wedding, with their daughter joining the party two years after that), frequently documenting their seemingly fairytale family life on their Instagram feeds.”
The outlet continues, “After the duo announced they would be splitting up in the Fall of 2020, the fairytale image had been shattered. With a seemingly perfect picture of a reality TV success story gone incredibly well, the news of their separation stunned Bachelor Nation.” However, Herbert told Us Weekly that the problems had been going on for quite some time, and that the announcement of their split was basically a formality.
The couple has kept the details of the marital conflicts that led to the divorce relatively private.
Could Rosenbaum Be the Next Bachelor?
On the “She’s All Bach” podcast, Rosenbaum admitted that although he has never been asked to be the Bachelor, he was asked to appear on the upcoming season of “Bachelor in Paradise.” However, he gave that invitation a hard pass. When asked why, he explained, “I’m a 45-year-old divorced father of two” with a job and a life.
However, when the podcasters asked him if he would ever consider being the Bachelor, he said he would have a lot to think about, but he would “not definitively say no.” Rosenbaum said he is dating casually at the moment, but there is no one serious in his life. His priorities are kids first, job second.
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