Ben Higgins Answers Bachelor Nation's Most Pressing Questions After His Lauren Bushnell Breakup

Reality star talks calling the wedding off, giving the ring back and more

By Jamie Bland May 22, 2017 7:56 PMTags

Last week they called off the wedding and this week they're explaining why...

The Bachelor's Ben Higgins and his former fiancé Lauren Bushnell called it quits after getting engaged in 2015 and while it didn't come as a total surprise for fans of the show—there were still a lot of unanswered questions.

Ben stopped by On Air with Ryan Seacrest earlier today to sort out all of Bachelor Nation's most pressing inquiries and to give some more insight into his split from Bushnell.

"I don't want to speak for Lauren on any of this, but I think both of us for so long thought this was the right thing and thought this was going to be something," said Ben. "[We're] extremely lucky we met on this crazy show that brought us together. [We thought] we'd be spending life together, so yeah, it did come as a shock."

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The Bachelor's Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell Break Up
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Lauren and Ben showed signs things weren't in the best place before the break up, but it still came as a shock to them both.

"You don't plan on ever breaking up, that's not why you enter a relationship. Unfortunately that's what happened."

After The Bachelor the couple went on to a Freeform spinoff Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After?, which may have only added to the pressure of their new relationship.

"I think there's a lot of pressure coming on this show. I've told any Bachelor/Bachelorette that came after me, just try to stay yourself but it's really difficult," the 29-year old said. "You have a lot of people looking over your shoulder. There's a ton of criticism and judgment no matter what you do -- good or bad -- or if you have the most pure heart or not. People are going to take it the wrong way and honestly, Lauren and I both agreed it does pull on you a lot and it isn't exactly healthy for a foundation for a relationship."

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So how has it been since the split?

"It's not easy, it hasn't been easy. I don't know how to do this well," he told Ryan. "This isn't the happiest time of my life, but Lauren and I both agreed you just got to continue to move forward. That's the only option."

"I'm not anywhere close to that and I don't think she is either," Ben said after being asked who would be the first one to move on. "I would say that whenever that happens, I don't think either of us will find it easy but I get it, that's life."

To make matters even worse, the beautiful 4.25-carat engagement ring Ben gave to Lauren at the proposal has to go back too.

"I believe that we'll have to give that back. Probably soon, I don't know when or how ... They give you this ring, but obviously if you don't make it, it makes sense that you have to give it back."

As far as moving on goes, some thought Ben might have his eyes on Bachelor alum Ashley Iaconetti, more commonly known as Ashley I. The two were seen this past weekend together at a Bryan Adams concert in Los Angeles, but Ben says their relationship is strictly business.

"[Ashley and I] started planning this podcast months ago way before any of this [separation news] happened," he said. "Our podcast airs tomorrow and it's not just going to be Bachelor and Bachelorette-focused. It's going to be a lot of things. It's going to kind of be a lifestyle podcast that just has a lot of fun, great interviews and we're doing it with iHeart."

The Bachelorette premieres tonight on ABC.