'The Bachelor' Star Colton Underwood on How Rejected He Felt When Cassie Left

After a shocking cliffhanger episode of The Bachelor during which we finally got to see the long-promised Fence Jump 2019, Colton Underwood spoke exclusively about the situation to People.

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After a shocking cliffhanger episode of The Bachelor during which we finally got to see the long-promised Fence Jump 2019, Colton Underwood spoke exclusively about the situation to People. Cassie Randolph, the contestant Colton admitted he was in love with and basically identified as "the one," essentially came to a breaking point over her doubts about the relationship and abruptly quit the show.

In his interview with People, Colton explained exactly what was going on in his mind during those super pivotal moments.

"I was shocked," Colton said. "I had no idea it was coming." He added, "It was right back into the trap of loving somebody who wasn’t quite there with me."

As you may recall if you're a longtime fan of the Bachelor-verse, Colton was a contestant on The Bachelorette during Becca's season and was sent home with a similar message. He's also repeatedly spoken this season about his "worst nightmare" being in love with someone who didn't return his feelings at the end. "It was very hard for me to hear."

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On whether he should have seen it coming.

Colton also talked about whether he should have seen the writing on the wall, specifically in the form of several Bachelor contestants giving him flashing warning signs about some of their fellow ladies (Cassie was even named explicitly by more than one contestant) not being ready for this whole super-quick journey-towards-engagement situation.

"I don’t get to see what’s happening when I’m not in the room," Colton told People. "When I’m in that relationship, it’s based off my feelings and my gut and my heart. These women are entitled to their own opinions and I respect that, but they’re not in that relationship."

"I just didn’t know where Cassie was at and I tried to get those answers.” But, he added, “in my opinion there were no red flags." Which, I understand, because their date during the day was cute and drama-free, up until the moment Colton told Cassie he hadn't gotten her dad's approval.

On what's coming up.

Colton also teased a bit of the content in the next (and likely final) episode until After the Final Rose. "You’ll see a very important conversation I have with Chris Harrison and with my dad that plays an important role moving forward," he says. "It’s definitely emotional."

I bet it is! Last time we saw those two, Chris Harrison was saying in disbelief, "He just jumped the f***ing fence."

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I really wanted some clarity on the fence jump, to be honest, but I imagine that'll be saved for next week's finale (I mean, the producers now need to essentially find Colton, since he literally ran away from them and the show while they yelled "COLTON!"). Colton's conversation with Chris Harrison will be enlightening, and probably a tiny bit hilarious. They might both be sweaty and covered in dirt, is all I'm saying.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York TimesParentsInStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLEHarper’s BazaarSeventeenGood Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeanshow sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.