Former ‘Bachelor’ Blasts Franchise for Being ‘Too Predictable’

Arie Luyendyk Jr., who met his wife as the star of The Bachelor Season 22, says they don’t watch the famed ABC franchise anymore—because it’s “too predictable.”

Incredibly, the former race car driver told Parade in an exclusive interview that he and spouse Lauren Burnham “have not watched since Chris Harrison [left]. It’s been a couple of years.”

Harrison, the ex-host of the franchise that includes The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, was replaced by Jesse Palmer in 2021. Harrison departed after making controversial comments in an interview with Extra correspondent and former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay.

Arie noted that for him and Lauren, “I think the biggest part for us, is we kind of know the editing and how The Bachelor [franchise] creates these storylines so we see it all coming. When we watch an episode, it’s a little too predictable for us.”

Arie, 41, first came to fame as the runner-up on Emily Maynard's season of The Bachelorette 2012. Then, six years later in 2018, he came back to look for love again as The Bachelor. Arie’s season was shocking, as he proposed to Becca Kufrin in the finale but broke that engagement and proposed to his runner-up, Lauren, on the “After the Final Rose” special.

The couple wed in January 2019, and now are happily raising three children: Daughter Alessi, 4, and twins, son Lux and daughter Senna, 2, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Related: Every Bachelor Nation Couple That's Still Together

Speaking to Parade as his family visited Holland to introduce the twins to their 91-year-old great grandma, Arie told Parade another reason they don’t watch The Bachelor franchise: “Having the babies! When 7 o’clock rolls around, we’re so exhausted. We go to sleep.”

Arie is currently working in real estate and promoting an Advance Auto Parts program called “Fuel Ride to College,” which will offer the chance for 10 college freshmen to win four years of free Shell gasoline.

“I’m a car guy. I grew up racing but I also went to college and so I remember when I was 18 having a car that ran properly and had a full tank of gas was everything to me,” Arie explained of his new gig.

As fans know, he made a dramatic transition from race car driver to reality TV. Evaluating the experience, Arie told Parade that reality stars don’t have enough input on what they can do.

“You really don’t. You have some input, but they’re shooting a TV show first and then thinking about your relationship second,” he said. “The show comes first, and that’s hard for some people. For myself [on The Bachelor], I definitely needed a few more days but the camera guys have to go back to their families…at the time, you have to make the decision.”

If he could go back in time, Arie said he "would change what I did" in first choosing Becca over Lauren.

He said “there’s definitely Bachelors and Bachelorettes in the past that have made their own waves. [Season 11 Bachelorette] Kaitlyn Bristowe comes to mind. Producers were always pulling their hair out because she was kind of running the show by herself in a way. I admire her because you really have to stand up for yourself….and get what you need out of the experience.”

The hunk hasn’t caught a minute of Charity Lawson’s current Bachelorette season and didn’t watch Zach Shallcross’ The Bachelor season earlier this year which was widely slammed as boring.

Related: Who Does Charity Pick on The Bachelorette?

But he noted, “I feel like every single Bachelor, you can track it back, has been dubbed boring. And I think that’s because of the structure of the show. You know, to be honest, The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, whoever the lead is, it’s not really about them. It’s more about the contestants as far as the entertainment value. I think it’s always been that way, so I feel like the lead is put in a spot to where they are dubbed as boring, through no fault of their own.”

Arie wishes Charity and other future stars “could be a little more demanding with producers” if they need more time with multiple loves.

“For me, I’m a big rule follower so [I decided], OK, I’ve gotta go on this date…but it is the rest of your life,” Arie said. “Lauren and I are happily married and I’ve had to apologize probably 10,000 times [for choosing Becca first], but that’s OK. I’m happy with where we’re at now. We’ve built this incredible life together, but looking back, that’s a huge pivotal moment, a very high-pressure period in someone’s life. And it’s such a pressure cooker and I think the producers make it more difficult than it should be.”

However, Arie is a rare The Bachelor triumph. “I think there’s only three Bachelors that are currently married—myself, Jason Mesnick, and Sean [Lowe] and so, I do consider myself a success story for the series. Lauren and I are proud of the fact we were on the show. It’s led us to where we are now and we’re really happy.”

Despite Arie’s criticisms, he is looking forward to the upcoming spinoff, The Golden Bachelor senior show, starring Gerry Turner, 71.

He told Parade, “I love it. I think it’s a great idea. I cannot wait to see it. I think there’s nothing more endearing than watching old people in love.”

Arie hopes that the show goes in a different direction from the makeout sessions and fantasy suites of the mother shows, however: “I think a classier take would be more appropriate. The great part about The Golden Bachelor is I think going to be the back stories of the contestants…I’m sure there’s really good stories [about] why they’re there. That’s what I’m most interested in is that dynamic and how it’s going to look on TV.”

Arie also believes in the future of the original show: “I do feel The Bachelor is here to stay. There will always be a place for The Bachelor.”

But will he be watching?

Next, Everything We Know So Far About The Golden Bachelor