In a new interview, Chris explains why he thinks fans can truly relate to ‘The Bachelor’ or ‘The Bachelorette.’
As ABC heads into the 23rd season of The Bachelor/Bachelorette, only two relationships have lasted out of the ones formed on the show. Trista and Ryan Sutter have been happily married for eight years — and Ashley Hebert lives with her fiance J.P. Rosenbaum in NYC. But while the most recent Bachelorette breakup took place when Ali Fedotowsky dumped Roberto Martinez, host Chris Harrison maintains that the relationships formed on the show are the real deal.
“Our couples don’t face anything tougher than anybody else in the real world,” Christ tells Parade.com. Everybody can relate to Ali and Roberto and what they just went through — falling in love and then the breakup. I think everybody has been in that position.”
Chris believes that the show builds on real life ideals. “At the base of it all, I think we represent what everybody wants and that’s love and a relationship,” he explains. “We’ve all been through some bad ones and we all hope for the great ones.
Chris even thinks of the cast as his friends, especially the new Bachelor, Ben Flajnik. “It was really like going through this with a friend and feeling their pain and pushing them in the right direction and trying to help them if I feel like they’re about to make a huge mistake,” he says.
While some of the relationships concocted by the franchise seem to harness true emotions, there are some parts that just don’t sit right with how life works outside of TV. No one dates 25 people at once (unless you are Hugh Hefner). People don’t fly around the world in 6 weeks to impress someone else (unless you are Bill Gates). But The Bachelor franchise uses these ideas to build excitement for the show, whether they are realistic or not for the ordinary person.
BFFs — tell us, do you think the relationships formed on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette are real?
- Lindsey DiMattina
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Lily
Posted at 4:16 PM on December 20, 2011
You’ve forgotten Jason Mesnick’s marriage to bachelorette Molly. I’d count this relationship as valid more so than Ashley and JP, whom are still getting to know one another.