Reality television would be nothing without its villains and fan favorites. It can be surprising when one person is both a fan favorite and a villain in the same season. However, this happens a great deal on The Bachelorette.
Sometimes, viewers find themselves watching the show and rooting for somebody who eventually ends up a villain. And whether that person is truly a villain or just a victim of editing depends on the contestant themselves. Regardless of the circumstance, no contestant is safe when it comes to receiving the legendary "villain" status, even the most popular fan favorites.
William Holman
William Holman was a contestant on Ashley Hebert's season. Holman was one of Ashley's frontrunners, as well as a fan favorite, but all that came to a screeching halt when Ashley asked him on a group date in which the men are supposed to roast her. All the men were smart enough to roast each other in a friendly way, instead of poking fun at the girl they were trying to date. Holman was the exception.
He took the stage and immediately took a couple of digs at Ashley's expense. Before he could finish his speech, Ashley had run off the stage crying. Needless to say, he went home after this date and forever cemented himself as a reality TV villain.
Arie Luyendyk Jr.
Before becoming The Bachelor, Arie Luyendyk Jr. was vying for the heart of Bachelorette, Emily Maynard. The two seemed madly in love until she chose Jeff instead of Arie in the finale episode. Arie seemed to be Emily's favorite since he first stepped out of the limo. Fans loved Arie for Emily, too.
That was until the "After The Final Rose" episode when it was revealed that Arie had been writing letters to Emily and trying to get her back, without any respect to her current relationship with Jeff. Emily never opened a single letter from him and told him off, live on national television.
Bennett Jordan
Bennett Jordan was a contestant on the Clare Crawley/Tayshia Adams season of The Bachelorette. Most importantly, he went to Harvard and he wanted to make sure everyone knew it.
At first, his confidence and intelligence made for some hilarious and witty interview segments. After the first couple of episodes though, Bennett's confidence turned to arrogance. He also believed himself to be far superior to the other contestants, and the Bachelorette(s). He used his self-proclaimed intelligence against all of them in order to make them feel worse about themselves, with condescending actions and words. Bennett was not a house favorite and eventually, fans were not on board either.
Juan Pablo Galavis
Not many Bachelorette contestants epitomize the "fan-favorite-turned-villain" trope like Juan Pablo Galavis. Juan Pablo was a contestant on Des Hartsock's season of The Bachelorette. As an attractive single dad who also happened to be a professional soccer player, he was beloved by fans. Fans adored him so much that he was quickly named the next Bachelor. This is when viewers got to see what Juan Pablo was really like, though.
A few days before sending runner up Clare home, he whispered something extremely offensive and derogatory in her ear. He also refused to say "I love you" to Nikki, his final pick, even months after the show aired. Once fans realized how disrespectful he was toward the women in his life, he forever became a villain.
Jed Wyatt
Jed Wyatt was a contestant on Hannah Brown's season and one of the few villains in the franchise to actually "win" the show. He seemed like a very sweet, down-to-earth guy, at first and wrote a song for Hannah that was beautiful and romantic. This should have been a red flag for Hannah and viewers, though.
Some contestants have been known to go on the show with a hidden agenda, especially if the publicity from the show will help them advance their careers. Jed, unfortunately, was the perfect example of this. After Hannah chose him in the finale episode, it was revealed that Jed actually had a girlfriend waiting for him at home the entire time. He only went on the show to promote his music.
Brooks Forester
Brooks Forester was another contestant on Desiree Hartsock's season. She was head-over-heels in love with him and even admitted so early on in her journey. So of course, fans were rooting for Brooks to make it all the way to the end. Just before his Fantasy Suite date though, he told Desiree that he had decided to go home.
When he was leaving, he implied that he was not on the show for the right reasons, nor did he care for her as much as she deserved. This shocking moment had fans screaming at their televisions in anger.
Luke Parker
Luke Parker is easily the most infamous contestant from Hannah Brown's season of The Bachelorette. The connection between the two of them was extremely palpable, even for the audience. Hannah even said to him once that meeting Luke was almost like experiencing love at first sight. He was super attractive and if Hannah liked him, fans loved him.
Later on in the season, Luke started demonstrating some disturbing behavior. He physically tackled one other contestant and threatened others. He was constantly manipulating Hannah and making her feel bad for the choices she made as the show's lead. Needless to say, he was not a fan favorite for very long.
Nick Viall
Nick Viall was the runner-up on Andi Dorfman's season and he was very kind and sweet with Andi. It seemed like Andi was crazy about him, but ultimately she chose Josh Murray instead. Nick's villainous side did not come out until the "After The Final Rose" though. Live on national television, he called Andi out for having sex with him in the Fantasy Suite. In the modern climate of slut-shaming and cyberbullying, this was a really low blow.
He also knew that Andi's parents were in the audience and watching. He eventually came back to compete for Kaitlyn Bristowe's heart as well, where he was made to be a villain too. After coming in mid-season, he had sex with Kaitlyn before the Fantasy Suite, behind the backs of his fellow contestants.
Jake Pavelka
Jake Pavelka was originally competing for the heart of Jillian Harris on The Bachelorette before being named The Bachelor himself. Fans really liked Jake on both of his seasons. It wasn't until his explosive interview with Chris Harrison where he shared the stage with his ex-fiance, Vienna, that fans got a taste of his true colors.
Jake had chosen Vienna at the end of his season on The Bachelor and proposed to her. Their relationship did not last long at all though. In fact, their interview with Chris Harrison was filled with screaming, tears, and a few violent outbursts.
Joe Bailey
Joe Bailey was a contestant on Kaitlyn Bristowe's season and he was seemingly very polite and mild-mannered. Fans rooted for him to win and he left the show without much fuss. It wasn't until his time on the second season of Bachelor In Paradise that fans started to despise him.
Joe admitted to manipulating a single mom contestant on the show in order to get a rose so he could stay to meet Samantha. Apparently, the two had planned to meet and be together on the show. Not only did he waste the time of another contestant, but that of a mom and her child, and fans have never forgiven him.