This particular Bachelor finale has everyone talking—and some, joking. With Bachelor Arie Luyendyk’s supposed finalist swap circulating ahead of the After the Final Rose special, several former Bachelors including Sean Lowe and Ben Higgins expressed their thoughts on the dramatic situation this week.
Lowe hilariously jabbed at the situation via Twitter. “In the most dramatic Bachelor finale in history, I admit I’ve made a mistake and choose my true love, a warm apple fritter, over Catherine,” the season 17 Bachelor, 34, cracked on Friday, March 2. “Took 4 years but I feel confident in this decision.”
In the most dramatic Bachelor finale in history, I admit I’ve made a mistake and choose my true love, a warm apple fritter, over Catherine. Took 4 years but I feel confident in this decision.
— Sean Lowe (@SeanLowe09) March 2, 2018
Lowe, however, is good friends with Luyendyk after both vied for Emily Maynard’s heart on The Bachelorette back in 2012. Meanwhile, Higgins—who like Luyendyk also fell in love with his final two contestants—was slightly more empathetic in his reaction.
“He’s a really good dude and I think he’s getting himself into a situation where even though he’s older and probably a lot wiser than I am, I think I could help him,” Higgins told E! News. “I’ve been there! I’ve been in a very similar situation before and I get why he did it…if it was the right or wrong decision to tell two people he loves them. What we forget as fans, especially towards the end, it becomes a very real experience. I think that’s why we still watch it and why people still love it, because we know how real it is in those last few weeks.”

THE BACHELOR – “Episode 2101” – A trio of popular former Bachelors – Sean Lowe, Chris Soules and Ben Higgins –offer their support and encouragement to Nick, who will face all new pressures and responsibilities on the highly anticipated 21st season premiere of “The Bachelor,” MONDAY, JANUARY 2 (8:00-10:00 P.M., ET), on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Rick Rowell)
CHRIS SOULES, NICK VIALL, SEAN LOWE, BEN HIGGINS
Higgins added, “And I want to tell Arie right now like, own this. This is your story, this is how your world played out… I hope God willing this relationship that he’s in right now is something that is meaningful and lasts and is full of love, and this woman that he’s with understands that he was trying his best, and at the end of the day, he picked her and he loves her and she picked him. He needs to own this time and I hope he does that. I hope he keeps his head held high and understands that what he did is something he felt was right in the moment. If it was or wasn’t, it’s not for us to judge. That’s up to him and his relationship.”
Luyendyk will pick (hopefully finally) between his two remaining ladies, sales executive Lauren Burnham, 26, and publicist Becca Kufrin, 27, on the two-night Bachelor finale. “I know people are going to be hard on [me],” he said to People this week. “I made a mistake. And I’m prepared for the backlash. But all I can say is I had to follow my heart.”
Tune in on Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.