Rachel Lindsay unveiled brand new information about former Bachelor Arie Luyendyk Jr. in the latest episode of her podcast, Bachelor Happy Hour. The former Bachelorette revealed she knew Luyendyk was in love with his runner-up, Lauren Burnham, despite proposing to Becca Kufrin in his season finale.
In the episode, which aired October 9, Lindsay told her guest co-host and fellow Bachelor star Demi Burnett that she met Luyendyk during the taping of spin-off show Bachelor Winter Games in 2018. The two were joined by former Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher as judges for the competition series, which began filming just days after Luyendyk’s season wrapped.
The trio met for drinks ahead of taping, where they talked about Luyendyk’s season. As he began telling Lindsay and Fletcher about his final two women, naming them “Number One” and “Number Two,” it became apparent that although he chose “Number One” (Becca Kufrin), he still had feelings for “Number Two” (Lauren Burnham).
“JoJo and I are sitting on the edge of our seats…,” Lindsay said. “And we’re listening to him talk about Number One and it just sounds like somebody who’s good on paper… They sound like the perfect person, but there’s no emotion behind it. There’s no feeling, no passion.”
“Then, he starts talking about Number Two,” she continued. “He’s like, ‘Oh, she’s this, she’s that, she makes me feel this way, she brings this out of me.’ And all of a sudden I raise my hand like I’m in class and I’m like, ‘Um, excuse me, Arie? I don’t think you like Number One the way that you like Number Two. I’m afraid.’ And then JoJo is like, ‘I don’t think you’re gonna end up with either one of them!'”
Fans of the show will remember how the dramatic season played out on television. Weeks after proposing to Kufrin, Luyendyk revealed he still had feelings for Burnham and ultimately ended his engagement to Kufrin in front of Bachelor cameras. He then went on to reunite with Burnham and even proposed to her on the live After The Final Rose special.
THE BACHELOR – “The Bachelor: After the Final Rose” – Arie’s soul-searching journey continues after America followed the chaos of his being in love with two women, which played out in gut-wrenching fashion, on “The Bachelor: After the Final Rose,” a two-hour live special, TUESDAY, MARCH 6 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Paul Hebert)
CHRIS HARRISON, ARIE LUYENDYK JR., LAUREN
Despite the initial backlash, Luyendyk moved forward with great certainty with his second choice, and the couple married in January 2019. They’ve since welcomed a daughter, Alessi, and had a second wedding ceremony in Las Vegas in September 2019.
Kufrin, for her part, went on to become The Bachelorette on Season 14. She is currently engaged to her final pick, Garrett Yrigoyen.
THE BACHELORETTE – “Episode 1410” – Season Finale – After surviving shocking twists and turns, and a journey filled with laughter, tears, love and controversy, Becca heads to the Maldives with her final two bachelors: Blake and Garrett. She can envision a future with both men, but time is running out. Then later, Becca will be in studio with Blake and Garrett to discuss the stunning outcome and the heartwrenching decisions that changed all of their lives forever, on “The Bachelorette: The Three-Hour Live Finale,” airing MONDAY, AUG. 6 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Paul Hebert)
BECCA KUFRIN, GARRETT
As Lindsay reminisced on the conversation, she noted that the unexpected twist of events did eventually come to a resolution. “The tea was hot!” Lindsay said of the ordeal. “But obviously it has worked out for them and it’s a funny story to tell now.”