Bachelor Nation Stars We'd Love to See Return As a Lead

Hannah Brown, Nick Viall and Shawn Booth are just some of the fan-favorites who are still single. But what are the chances they'd actually be open to the opportunity?

By Tierney Bricker Dec 11, 2020 11:00 AMTags
Watch: "Bachelorette's" Becca Kufrin Confirms Garrett Yrigoyen Split

You know what they say, if at first you don't succeed...

After Becca Kufrin's split from fiancé Garrett Yrigoyen this summer, Bachelor Nation fans did what they are wont to do: wonder if the season 14 lead would ever return to star on The Bachelorette.

She's not the first Bachelor franchise alum to become a lead of interest after the relationship they entered into the show didn't result in happily ever after. They can't all be Sean Lowe and Catherine Guidice, Trista and Ryan Sutter or Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo.

But which former stars or contestants would we actually want to see take another televised shot at finding love—and, perhaps more importantly, which ones are actually still single?

While we'd love to see Bachelor in Paradise's Katie Morton hand out roses, she recently revealed she's dating someone. And Brad Womack, the franchise's only two-time lead, confirmed his relationship with influencer Jena Mayzing during The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons — Ever. So, no, we won't be seeing a three-peat anytime soon. 

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Bachelor Nation Members Who've Called Out Producers

Here are all the still-avail Bachelor Nation alums we'd love to see return to our screens as a lead...

Hannah Brown

In our dreams, Hannah and Tyler Cameron rode off into the sunset to get married, collaborate on their YouTube channels and host Instagram Live workouts. But life isn't a fairy tale, so move on, we must. 

And what better way than to see Hannah, the contestant who couldn't deliver a toast but went on to deliver one of the best seasons of The Bachelorette ever, return—a little older and a lot wiser? The franchise is definitely interested in staying in the H.B. business, reportedly asking her to star in season 16.

But sources told E! News that the 26-year-old turned down the opportunity to star in back-to-back seasons because she wanted more money. Plus, the Dancing With the Stars champ signed on to the do that ABC show's stage tour, making her officially unavailable for filming at the time. (This was pre-COVID-19 postponement, of course.)

Shawn Booth

Listen, we don't think the personal trainer and gym owner would ever return to the franchise, let alone become the Bachelor, after his painful breakup with Kaitlyn Bristowe in 2018, but like, an entertainment site can dream, right? Plus, even one of the most beloved Bachelors of all time thinks he would be a great lead.

"He's everything they want for a Bachelor," Ben Higgins shared with E! News in 2019. "He's good-looking, he's kind and he wants to find somebody."

 

Peter Kraus

Hello, FCC? We'd like to report a complaint. Yes, the Bachelor franchise has refused to put this face back on television since 2017. Yes, we'll hold. 

OK, so that's technically unfair, considering Peter, Rachel Lindsay's runner-up, has since claimed he turned down an offer to be the Bach. But still, it's hard not to imagine the world we'd be living in right now if Peter and not Arie Luyendyk Jr. had been the lead of season 22.

But the 35-year-old personal trainer and gym owner (hmm...we're sensing a theme here) is still single and didn't rule out returning to reality TV to find love. 

"I won't do Bachelor in Paradise, personally," he said on the Almost Famous podcast in April 2020. See, he only shot down BIP! (Let us have this, please.)

Andi Dorfman

"Never say never."

That's what the season 10 lead had to say on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast when asked if she would ever be the Bachelorette again.

While Andi did add that she doesn't think she'd be "good at it the second time around," we object to the former lawyer's assertion. Always one to speak her mind and stand up for herself (Who can forget her telling Juan Pablo Galavis, "It's not OK!" before quitting the show?), we'd love to see the 33-year-old author back in the driver's seat.

Nick Viall

"Would he actually return for another outing in the franchise?" we whispered to ourselves before realizing we never thought the two time Bachelorette runner-up would appear on Bachelor in Paradise, let alone become a lead. So, hey, anything is possible, and given his no bulls--t approach to the machinations of the show he offers up on a weekly basis on his podcast, The Viall Files, it would be kind of fun to see Nick, in all his cynical and sarcastic glory, come back for round two as the Bachelor. 

Becca Kufrin

While she didn't deliver one of the most dramatic seasons of The Bachelorette in 2018, Becca's recent split with winner Garrett Yrigoyen has had fans wondering if it's time for the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast host to hand out roses again.

"Oh god! I don't know," Becca answered on Off The Vine With Kaitlyn Bristowe. "I never want to say no and I'd never want to say never. But also, like, I am 30. I feel like a grandma. I love to sleep. I love my bed. I love snuggling with [my dog] Minno. As you know, when you film an entire season, like, there's no sleep for two-plus months, and I do not know if I could do it again."

She continued, "Also, like, doing the show again, I mean, let's be honest: I was engaged two times already. Like, I don't want to keep racking up the rings. Like, as much as I love Neil Lane, I don't want to have a ring graveyard."

But, as the old saying goes, Becca, third time's a charm. Or a Neil Lane diamond, in this case.

Blake Horstmann

Do not even try to pretend you wouldn't watch Becca's runner-up attempt to date 30 women after the utter mess he caused during Bachelor in Paradise's sixth season, when his off-screen entanglements with several women were revealed. Like, even Chris Harrison described Blake's time on BIP as "a dumpster fire." We love a chaos agent!

But if there's one thing TV viewers love more than drama it's a redemption story, and Blake opened up to E! News about how he's changed since his infamous Stagecoach scandal

"I've learned to look inward more, look at the person in the mirror rather than trying to get gratification from other people," he detailed. "I'm done with all of that fake stuff."

Hmm...sounds like something a lead would say after a shirtless shower montage in their introduction package, no? 

The Bachelorette airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.