The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have spent nearly two decades giving fans an inside look at once-in-a-lifetime love, even if it ultimately ends in heartbreak. As a franchise, Bachelor Nation has become known for its dramatic reputation. From the leads of the shows breaking up with their final choices to date the runner-ups, to contestants not being involved with the show for “the right reasons,” the show has led to some incredibly surprising moments.
Many fans expect relationships from The Bachelor franchise to end quickly after the show, sometimes even before it's finished airing. While there have been success stories in the franchise, especially when it comes to Bachelor In Paradise couples, it is more likely that The Bachelor couples will fail based on the show’s track record alone. The year 2022 has been no exception for heartbreak, and has provided some of the most shocking breakups in The Bachelor franchise history.
Clayton Echard and Susie Evans
Susie Evans fell in love with lead Clayton Echard during The Bachelor season 26. After a tumultuous season full of rejection, the two wound up together after the show finished filming. Having come out of a difficult place from the start, fans felt the relationship was fragile but ultimately were happy for the couple, and rooted for their happily ever after. Unfortunately, after six months, Clayton and Susie called it quits. Susie shared a joint post on Instagram, explaining, “This is not an easy time for either of us but we stand in support of each other and hope to see the other go on to find happiness and healing.”
Katie Thurston and John Hersey
Katie Thurston, who was the lead on The Bachelorette season 17, found love on her season with Blake Moynes, accepting his proposal after ten short weeks together. The two broke up in October 2021, and in the following month, Katie started dating John Hersey, who she had eliminated during her time as The Bachelorette after only two weeks. While the couple seemed to be a good match early on, they split in mid-2022 with Katie confirming the breakup on her Instagram story. She went on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s podcast later in the year to share that John had dumped her.
Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya
Michelle Young, lead of The Bachelorette season 18, found love with Nayte Olukoya during her season. She gave Nayte her first impression rose and continued to build a relationship with him throughout the season, so fans were not shocked when the two got engaged during the finale. After six months, the couple decided to call off their engagement in mid-2022 much to fans' surprise, sharing the news via Instagram stories.
Gabby Windey and Erich Schwer
Gabby Windey was one of the two leads on The Bachelorette season 19, and her happily ever after with Erich Schwer was the only one to make it past the show’s finale. Gabby went on to do Dancing With The Stars quickly after The Bachelorette ended. Even though Erich was there to support her during the first few live shows, the couple ultimately announced their split in early November. With the controversy surrounding Erich and the pressure on their young relationship, some viewers speculated it was just too difficult to maintain their relationship in The Bachelor franchise.
Sources: Susie Evans/Instagram, John Hersey/Instagram, Babatunde Nayte Olukoya/Instagram, Erich Schwer/Instagram