British Bachelor Calls On Shayne

Matt Grant ends the ABC show's 12th season by proposing to actress Shayne Lamas

By Natalie Finn May 13, 2008 3:32 AMTags
Shayne, The BachelorABC/CRAIG SJODIN

"At times I thought you were the one—many times. I think you're amazing, and I wish you the best."

So said Matt Grant to the woman he didn't pick on the finale of The Bachelor: London Calling.

But so goes the pioneering ABC series, which wrapped up its 12th season Monday with Grant, a 27-year-old financier from London, popping the question to 22-year-old Shayne Lamas, an actress and the daughter of Renegade star Lorenzo Lamas.

"I came here to find someone for life. And I know, when I look in those beautiful brown eyes, that you'll always be there for me. And I hope you know that I will always be there for you. I don't have much more to say."

Then he got down on one knee, declared his love, and presented Lamas with a multicarat sparkler.

Meaning Chelsea Wanstrath, 24, got the shaft—albeit a much nicer-sounding shaft, thanks to the British accent (which, really, can alleviate anything).

Grant did almost lose his cool for a moment when Wanstrath, understandably vexed after getting the whole "I'm falling in love with you...but" spiel, expressed disbelief that he could have picked Lamas, whom she considers "the falsest person here."

"If you think I would end up with the falsest person, then you don't know me," Grant told her, a slight edge in his voice. They walked on in silence for about 15 seconds before he apologized.

"I'm sorry, I think you do know me, though," he said.

Way to not burn bridges in case the other one doesn't work out.

"I did have feelings for [both of] the final two, and that's something that we as a couple have to sort of go beyond," Grant said in a conference call with reporters last week. "We've talked about it. We understand that we were put into an unrealistic situation, albeit it's reality television. We had to accept it wasn't going to be easy afterwards. We had deep and frank conversations about what was going to be shown and how things are."

Asked whether he was really in love with the last woman standing, however, he said, "Definitely."

"Without a doubt. As far as love at first sight, I am not a big advocate of that. But that said...when I first saw her I knew I was in trouble in a good way and that it could be [the one]."

Whether that means wedding bells will be ringing anytime soon is another story.

"Time is important, as well, and obviously the worst thing you can do is rush it," he said. "Things have been kind of rushed already, so it's time to just take a deep breath and work out our plans and our future—whether it be in the U.S. or U.K.—and then, when the time is right, get to the altar."

Of course, it's not as if Grant and Lamas have history on their side, considering nine out of 10 previous Bachelors and their respective Chosen Ones have parted ways or called off their ABC-sponsored engagements. (Byron Velvick from season six is still hanging in there, barely, with fiancée Mary Delgado.)

And last season's stud, Brad Womack, didn't go with A or B. He went with C, none of the above.

But Grant apparently doesn't put a lot of stock in history. Not the reality-TV-related kind, anyway.

"I'm not bothered by it. That's their lives. It has nothing to do with me," he said. "I'm always an optimist, and half-full is not completely full. We're just going to give it the best shot we can, but I'm confident we'll survive, we'll succeed."

Meanwhile, love will be in the air again as soon as next week. The fourth installment of The Bachelorette, featuring Deanna Pappas, one of Womack's nonchoices, premieres Monday.