Blake Horstmann endured a one-of-a-kind run on Bachelor in Paradise, and now he wants to remind fans that he's more than a TV character after leaving. Horstmann made himself very easy to dislike with his hopscotch approach to dating on season six of the series, and even after his departure from Mexico, he's still dealing with unsavory comments from fans.
It all started careening downhill at Stagecoach Music Festival. Horstmann slept with Kristina Schulman, followed that up with a Caelynn Miller-Keyes sleepover the next night, and then flirted with Hannah Godwin and Tayshia Adams before arriving in Paradise. Who else would happen to show up except all four of those women? He first went on a date with Adams, then was forced to confront a potentially toxic situation he may or may not have created with Miller-Keyes. Then, Schulman crashed the party and took Horstmann on a date as a way to get back at him (the logic on that one is still confusing). Soon after, Horstmann thrust himself into a love triangle with Godwin and Dylan Barbour, but Godwin ended up handing her rose to Barbour (*takes deep breath*). Then, Caitlin Clemmens showed up and snagged a heartbroken Horstmann for a date. That ended swiftly, as Horstmann gave his rose to Schulman, as a friend. But then, Horstmann had an epiphany, like an actor in a cheesy romantic comedy, that he and Schulman were right for each other all along. He even shunned a date request from Bri Barnes to prove his out-of-nowhere commitment to Schulman. But everything came to a screeching halt when Schulman broke up with Horstmann before they even had a chance to get serious, breaking his heart for the umpteenth time right in front of his carefully planned dessert sampler surprise.
In an Instagram essay, Horstmann wrote, "Never forget that we are all human and not characters on television," as he watched a sunset. He said the experience was "rough," but that he is grateful for the lessons learned. It echoed a familiar refrain Horstmann repeated on the show: that he was there to grow as a man. Check out the post below:
Horstmann shouldered the blame for the emotional roller coaster he put himself through. Then, he defended his swing dancing and said he would return to Stagecoach, ground zero for his downward spiral. His friend and former Bachelor Ben Higgins replied in the comments that it would probably be wise for Horstmann to avoid Stagecoach in the future.
Before the season even began, Horstmann was touted as the villain, and certainly he was one of them. He acknowledges that he still needs to grow as a human being, and most would agree. That being said, he's not a bad guy, just not someone whose uncouth dating tactics were broadcast for the world to see. Here's to hoping Horstmann finds his woman - just not on the next season of Bachelor in Paradise.
The Bachelor in Paradise finale air Tuesday, September 17 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Source: Blake Horstmann