Bachelor Nation supported Colton Underwood after he came out as gay on Good Morning America during an interview on Wednesday, April 14.
“This year’s been a lot for a lot of people and it’s probably made a lot of people look at themselves in the year and figure out who they are,” the Bachelor alum, 29, told host Robin Roberts during the “deeply personal” segment. “I’ve ran from myself for a long time, I’ve hated myself for a long time. I’m gay.”
The former football player noted it had been a “journey” to get to this point. “I came to terms with that earlier this year, and the next step in all of this was sort of letting people know,” he continued. “I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been in my life. That means the world to me.”
Colton first appeared as a contestant during Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette and had a short stint on season 5 of Bachelor in Paradise. He then became season 23’s Bachelor in 2019, where he found love with Cassie Randolph. They did not get engaged, but the reality TV duo dated for almost two years before splitting in May 2020.
The Indiana native’s sexuality has been a topic of conversation through the years, and he opened up more about it in his book, The First Time. He recalled his mom asking him about “rumors” while he was in high school.
“We were in the car one day when out of nowhere, she said, ‘You know, Colt, we’d still love you and support you if you were gay,’” the reality star detailed in his memoir. “I let her know they were just rumors. I was straight.”
Colton goes on to explain that his dad, Scott Underwood, also broached the subject with him after Colton ordered gay porn and googled questions like, “Am I gay?” on his computer. “Sometimes, I wonder if my life would have been much easier if I had been gay,” the reality TV star admitted at the time.
It’s great to see Colton living his truth. See how Bachelor Nation and other celebs reacted!