Chris Harrison Blogs 'The Bachelor' Episode 9

To say that what happened on this week’s episode of The Bachelor was dramatic would be a terrible understatement. Over the years, I think many Bachelors and Bachelorettes have fallen in love with two (and maybe even more) people. I think it’s very possible and I think it’s part of the journey and part of the magic that is The Bachelor. But for the first time ever, a Bachelor told two different women that he loved them.

I know Ben pretty well and I know he meant everything he said — but man has he put himself, and the women, in a very, very tough position. Before we get into the obvious repercussions of that, let’s talk about how things went for Ben and his remaining three women in Jamaica.

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Hometown dates are very intimate, and of course, none of these women have had a chance to spend any time with Ben since he met their families, so of course there’s a lot to catch up on. Caila, as we’ve seen is a very intelligent and introspective woman and between her hometown date and her day with Ben, she had obviously had a lot on her mind. Even though we were in on of the most romantic places on Earth, it’s hard not to let your doubts get to you. Even the crystal blue waters of Jamaica can’t always remove the clouds of thoughts that live in your brain as you fall in love with someone who is still actively dating other people.

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Even though the day for Caila and Ben was a little off, I was proud of her for being able to identify the cause of there worries and I was proud of Ben for pressing her to make sure she was ok. As the day descended into night, Caila was able to take a deep breath, look into Ben’s eyes, and let him know that she was in love with him. It was a big moment for a woman who had told him in the Bahamas that she was afraid she couldn’t allow herself to love someone fully, and Ben really appreciated her depth and complexity as their relationship progressed. He did not tell Caila he loved her back. No one expected him to. But soon after that, everything changed.

It was a magical day for Ben and Lauren as they helped dozens and dozens of sea turtles find their way into the water for a better chance at life. Conservation efforts are really important to all of us at The Bachelor, and Ben and Lauren were great ambassadors on this day, helping the sea turtle population in the Caribbean flourish. Our entire crew had to be incredibly careful that day and all took many precautions to make sure nothing we did interfere with the march of the turtles into the sea. Everyone was truly emotional about the turtles but Lauren and Ben were further focused on each other. A double rainbow (REALLY!) over the water that day really made this beautiful day even more perfect.

That night, in the fantasy suite at Sandals in Ocho Rios, Lauren finally confessed what she had been feeling for a while and what she failed to tell him at the end of her hometown date… that she loved him. And at that moment Ben told her that he loved her too. It’s a thing I can’t remember ever seeing on our show, a Bachelor telling someone that he was in love that early, and to hear the “I love you” given and returned was something I wasn’t sure I’d ever see on The Bachelor.

And just when I thought things couldn’t get any stranger, they absolutely did. JoJo and Ben took an incredible helicopter ride over Jamaica, and let me tell you those views on TV are spectacular but they’re even more incredible in person. When they landed at YS Falls, JoJo had no idea that something that breathtaking even existed. JoJo too was aware of the reality of Ben and knew that letting herself fall for a man who was still seeing others was risky. But she put her heart ahead of her head and surprised Ben by telling him that she was in love with him also. And to everyone’s surprise, Ben told JoJo he loved her too.

I can’t imagine any romantic situation more complicated than this. Of course, before Ben has to make any ultimate decisions, he still has another week of dates to go, but he also realized that since he had not fully fallen in love with Caila, he would have to say goodbye to her next.

Caila, who is very spontaneous and a hopeless romantic, knew that Ben would have some time alone at home during and felt so madly in love that she didn’t want to waste any moments she could spend in this magical location with the man of her dreams. Unfortunately, Ben had already made up his mind. In no way do I think Caila expected to try and change Ben’s mind. In fact, I think she firmly thought Ben loved her too, and based on their relationship up to that point, that’s completely understandable.

Caila’s departure was truly heartbreaking. The feeling of saying goodbye to someone you love is always hard, but to have it be so unexpected? Well, that’s truly devastating. Caila was heartbroken and Ben was heartbroken as well to have to say goodbye to such a beautiful, complex, and wonderful woman.

Now, Ben is in a real pickle. He is going to introduce two women he loves to his parents. He is going to go on final dates with two women who know he loves them back. Houston, we have a problem. That is going to be the most dramatic season finale in history!

But first, we’ll be back next week with the Women Tell All. All your favorite women will be back to talk about all the drama that took place this season. You’ll hear from Lace, the Twins, and Jubilee. Caila will see Ben for the first time since that fateful day in Jamaica. And of course, Olivia will be back to confront the other women in what is guaranteed to be an unbelievably dramatic reunion. You don’t want to miss it!

The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC