Piping hot tea! Former Bachelorette contestant Tyler Cameron revealed that he was in talks to become the next Bachelor but turned it down because he didn’t feel like he would be able to commit to the process, considering he has been seeing Gigi Hadid. In addition to his personal love life, the stud explained that his father’s health — which he opened up about with Hannah Brown — was another large factor.
“It was something we talked about, but where I was at in my life, I just didn’t think it was where I wanted to be,” the 26-year-old told Entertainment Tonight on September 24, about the discussions surrounding becoming the new leading man. Peter Weber will be taking the reins for season 24. “My heart wasn’t in it, my dad was really sick again, and I was nervous and scared. I sat on it, thought about it, and … my heart wasn’t it.” On August 14, Tyler’s mom, Andrea Cameron, shared on Instagram that her husband was “in the hospital fighting an infection.” Luckily, Papa Cameron is “doing much better now” and is “bouncing back.”
Surprisingly, when host Lauren Zima asked if his dating life affected his decision, the stud admitted, “Yeah, you shouldn’t go on the show if you have a girlfriend.” *Cue us breaking our necks to double-take.* So, was this the reality star’s way of going public with the 24-year-old catwalk queen? Not exactly.
“So, you have a girlfriend?” the interviewer asked for clarification. “No, I wasn’t saying that, but if you’re dating somebody or seeing somebody,” Tyler explained. “My heart wasn’t 100 percent there and that’s something you have to be fully invested in. I was on the other side of it as a contestant and it was a much easier role.”
As far as his relationship with the Victoria’s Secret babe, Tyler is still playing aloof. “We’re just friends,” he said about the supermodel. “I mean … that’s just where we’re at. Our relationship doesn’t need to be public. She’s good people, she’s an amazing person and we’re just keeping it friendly.”
The duo has been spotted all over the place together, including the funeral of Gigi’s grandmother, Ans van den Herik, who died on August 30, after battling cancer. While that seems like major boyfriend territory, a source exclusively dished to Life & Style that it’s a great example of the Florida native’s character. “Tyler is a supportive guy. He is there for the people he cares about and will do whatever he can for them,” the insider explained. “Tyler’s the type of guy who will try his best to make someone smile during a tough time. Things seem to be going well, they are definitely enjoying their time together.”
Time will tell what happens between Tyler and Gigi.