On last night's episode of The Bachelor, Peter Weber sent home Kelley Flanagan, the woman he was admittedly most excited to connect with when his season began. Although Peter previously stated that he felt like his relationship with Kelley had cooled off in recent weeks, the decision was still somewhat surprising. Now, Peter is opening up about his choice to send home the Chicago-based attorney.
At the start of the season, fans learned that Peter met Kelley at a hotel before filming even began. Although the attorney was on the fence about appearing on his season, she decided their connection was strong enough to put her heart on the line. From night one, Peter was excited about Kelley. During a recent one-on-one date, however, the Bachelor admitted that Kelley had taken a backseat in comparison to some of his other contestants. Still, their evening conversation resulted in Kelley getting a rose. Unfortunately, her remaining time with Peter was short-lived. This week, Kelley went on the dreaded three-on-one alongside fellow contestants Victoria Fuller and Hannah Ann Sluss. Although Kelley believed she was the obvious choice, Peter chose to send her home.
In a recent interview with ET, Peter opened up about his relationship with Kelley. The Bachelor began, "I am Kelley's biggest fan. I will say that." Peter continued, "I definitely had high hopes because of how we met and everything, but this wasn't meant to be." Although Peter stated that Kelley would make an amazing Bachelorette, he explained that the lingering doubts he expressed on their one-on-one that forced him to question if she was truly ready for marriage never fully went away. Though he didn't express any regret about sending Kelley home, he admitted that he was probably wrong about her, saying, "I definitely had questions at first if she was really ready and wanted this. I was wrong, she truly was." He finished his statements by giving a powerful endorsement for a Kelley Flanagan season of The Bachelorette. Peter said, "Kelley would kill it. Kelley is so ready, Kelley is one of the smartest people I've met," he said. "I think she can absolutely make an amazing [Bachelorette]."
Unfortunately, Monday's night's episode left some fans with a sour taste in their mouth regarding one of the season's favorites. When Kelley attended the three-on-one with Hannah Ann and Victoria F., she made it clear that she didn't believe either woman was ready for marriage. After stating that Hannah Ann wasn't in the right "phase" of her life to commit to a relationship, Kelley also referred to Victoria as a "hot mess." When she was ultimately sent home, she took her time in the cab to reflect on Peter's decision. She said, "Peter made his decision and that's that." She expressed her feelings, saying, "Does it suck? Yeah. Do I agree with it? No. I question his intentions because I don't know what phase he is in his life." She ended her comments by thanking Peter for not meeting her family since it would have been a waste of her time.
In a season filled with petty drama, Kelley was the one voice of reason. While her opinions offered a sense of grounded clarity, it was difficult to tell if she actually liked Peter. On the other hand, Hannah Ann and Victoria have both been very vocal about their feelings, even if they've often expressed themselves in dramatic ways. It's pretty obvious Kelley wasn't Peter's person, so it's sensible for him to try to figure out relationships that he's not entirely sure about. It's clear that he feels confident in his decision, but it's nice that he can continue to support Kelley after what some people might consider a messy end to their relationship.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8pm EST on ABC.
Source: ET