Heavy Former "Bachelorette" winner Shawn Booth is going to be a dad.
A former winner of “The Bachelorette” just dropped huge news that immediately sparked a lot of buzz among Bachelor Nation fans.
Shawn Booth, who was the final rose recipient in 2015 during season 11 with Kaitlyn Bristowe, has kept his personal life fairly private since ending his engagement with Bristowe in 2018. However, he launched a new podcast in May 2023 and he used his new platform to break news that fans likely had no idea was on the way.
Here’s what you need to know:
Shawn Booth Is Expecting His First Child in December 2023
On July 17, the former “Bachelorette” winner released a new episode of his “In the Booth” podcast titled, “Secret’s Out.” After a fair amount of hesitation, Booth revealed he will be a father for the first time later this year.
“December 12, baby Booth on their way,” he explained. He added, “The mother is somebody who I’ve been close with for years. We’ve had a relationship and we’ve dated. This just isn’t some random girl I met at Honky Tonk Central.”
Despite the fact that Booth and the soon-to-be mother of his child have been close for quite some time, “This is a big surprise for both of us. [To be] open and honest, this wasn’t something that was planned.”
While the baby was not planned, Booth described it as “the most beautiful surprise I’ve ever had in my life. … I can’t wait. I’m ready. I’m 37 years old. I’ve always wanted to be a dad.”
Booth did not share the name of the woman he has been involved with, but he noted she will do the podcast at some point soon. The former “Bachelorette” winner also shared that the couple decided not to find out their baby’s gender ahead of the delivery. The pair will somehow combine their last names for their baby’s last name, he said.
The Former ‘Bachelorette’ Winner Is Excited for What’s Ahead
After the podcast was released and the news emerged, Booth shared a new video on Instagram. He thanked everybody for their support, and he admitted he had received a lot of queries about the tease of a secret he would be revealing.
Some fans wondered if he would be the lead for “The Golden Bachelor,” as the timing did sync up for that possibility pretty nicely. Booth admitted he had not had any idea that a spinoff show was in the works, so it had nothing to do with him or his announcement. ABC just announced their pick for handing out roses on this senior version of the franchise staple, Gerry Turner, who was not previously connected to the franchise.
Others wondered if Booth was set to announce he was a part of the LGBTQ community. He joked that was the case toward the end of his podcast but made it clear that was not the big surprise he had teased either.
“The Bachelorette” star detailed that both he and his partner had kept the baby news quite close to the vest for a long time, but now those who know them in Nashville are aware of the pregnancy.
Booth admitted “it’s very overwhelming,” but he said he was never freaked out by the pregnancy news. He shared of his partner, “She’s going to be such a good mother. And it’s going to be incredible.”
Booth’s Announcement Caught Fans by Surprise
Once the news was out, “Bachelorette” fans shared their thoughts about the situation online.
“He sounds really over the moon about the baby! Very happy for him, and the mom-to-be. It sounds like they have a great relationship/friendship and they’re both excited to be new parents,” one supporter wrote on Reddit.
Another Redditor added, “Co-parenting is tough but sounds like he is going into it with a super mature and positive mindset. Happy for them both!”
“I’m…in shock,” someone else admitted.
An Instagram follower commented, “Congratulations @shawn_booth18!! So very happy for you! I 100% respect how you’ve handled this and your entire personal life. Well done! You’ll be an amazing dad!!”
Several followers on Booth’s Instagram post who had not listened to his podcast yet asked whether he was going to be adding another dog to his small family, or a child.
“Like a dog brother or sister or a human,” questioned one person.
“Dad as a baby-dad? Or a dog-dad?” asked someone else.