Former 'Bachelor' Colton Unrwood out as gay on 'GMA'

Contents:

• COLTON UNRWOOD, FORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR, OUT AS GAY
• COLTON UNRWOOD, ‘BACHELOR’ STAR, COM OUT AS GAY
• COLTON UNRWOOD, THE FIRST GAY ‘BACHELOR,’ CONONTS HIS CONTROVERSIAL COMG OUT
• THE BACHELOR STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY
• 'BACHELOR' ALUM COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY: 'I'M THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT I'VE EVER BEEN'
• 'THE BACHELOR' 'S COLTON UNRWOOD COM OUT AS GAY: 'I'VE RAN OM MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME'
• FORMER ‘BACHELOR’ COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY ON ‘GMA’
• 'BACHELOR' ALUM CASSIE RANDOLPH ON HOW SHE 'FOUND OUT' ABOUT EX COLTON UNRWOOD COMG OUT AS GAY
• FORMER BACHELOR COLTON UNRWOOD COM OUT AS GAY: ‘I’M THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT I’VE EVER BEEN’
• SHOP THE BT OF 'THE RIGHT STUFF'!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHCULTUREFORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY13:36FORMER 'BACHELOR' COLTON UNRWOOD SPEAKS HIS TTH AND OUT AS BYCARSON BLACKWELR VIO BYJA ANRSON AND DANIELLE GEAPRIL 14, 2021, 7:33 AM•8 M READCOLTON UNRWOOD IS READY TO LIVE HIS TTH.THE FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR ME OUT AS GAY AN EXCLIVE TERVIEW WH ROB ROBERTS ON "GOOD MORNG AMERI" ON WEDNDAY."I'VE RAN OM MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE HATED MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME," UNRWOOD TOLD ROBERTS A PRE-TAPED CHAT. "AND I'M GAY. AND I ME TO TERMS WH THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR AND HAVE BEEN PROCSG . AND THE NEXT STEP ALL OF THIS WAS SORT OF LETTG PEOPLE KNOW."MORE: COLTON UNRWOOD SETS 'EPLY PERSONAL' TERVIEW ON 'GMA' WH ROB ROBERTS"I'M STILL NERVO, BUT YEAH," HE NTUED. "IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY FOR SURE."ABC'S ROB ROBERTS WH COLTON UNRWOOD, THE LEAD OF THE 23RD SEASON OF "THE BACHELOR," DURG AN TERVIEW APRIL 2021.ABCUNRWOOD SAID HE FALLY GOT TO A PLACE WHERE HE ULD BE HONT WH HIMSELF AFTER 2020, THE YEAR THAT TURNED EVERYONE'S LIV UPSI DOWN, AND MA PEOPLE "LOOK AT THEMSELV THE MIRROR AND FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN NNG OM OR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN PUTTG OFF THEIR LIV."WHEN ROBERTS, WHO IS ALSO OPENLY GAY, SAID SHE ULD "SEE THE JOY" AND "SEE THE RELIEF" UNRWOOD, HE SAID HE WAS "EMOTNAL , LIKE SUCH A GOOD, HAPPY, POSIVE WAY," AND IS "THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT" HE'S EVER BEEN.UNRWOOD SAID HE WENT THROUGH A "DARK AND BAD" TIME BEFORE FEELG LIKE HE ULD REVEAL THIS ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS "WAKE UP LL" WAS FEELG LIKE HE "WOULD'VE RATHER DIED" THAN SAY HE'S GAY."THERE WAS A MOMENT L.A. THAT I WOKE UP AND I DIDN'T THK I WAS GONNA WAKE UP. I DIDN'T HAVE THE TENTNS OF WAKG UP. AND I DID," HE RELLED, NOTG THIS MOMENT -- AND OTHER "SUICIDAL THOUGHTS" -- LED HIM TO "TAKE BACK NTROL" OF HIS LIFE.WHEN ROBERTS ASKED ABOUT THE WOMEN OM HIS "BACHELOR" SEASON AND HOW THEY -- AMONG OTHERS -- MAY FEEL MISLED, UNRWOOD SAID HE "WOULD UNRSTAND WHY THEY THK THAT WAY.""I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THIS TOO, OF, 'DO I REGRET BEG THE BACHELOR AND DO I REGRET HANDLG THE WAY THAT I DID?' I DO," HE SAID. "I DO THK I ULD'VE HANDLED BETTER, I'LL SAY THAT."UNRWOOD SAID HE "GENUELY" WISH HE HADN'T DRAGGED PEOPLE TO "MY OWN MS OF FIGURG OUT WHO I WAS." IN ADDN TO SAYG SORRY TO THOSE WOMEN, HE WOULD SAID THANK YOU BEE, ULTIMATELY, THEY AND THE ANCHISE HELPED HIM GET TO THIS PLACE.MORE: MATT JAM REFLECTS ON 'BACHELOR' SEASON, RACHAEL KIRKNNELL NTROVERSYWHEN HE WAS NAMED THE BACHELOR, UNRWOOD SAID HE REMEMBERED "PRAYG TO GOD" THE MORNG HE FOUND OUT AND "THANKG HIM FOR MAKG ME STRAIGHT,' THKG THIS WOULD LEAD TO HIM FALLY GETTG THE WIFE AND THEM HAVG KIDS.COLTON UNRWOOD AS "THE BACHELOR," FOR SEASON 23, 2019.CRAIG SJOD/ABCBUT UNRWOOD SAID HE HAD KNOWN THE TTH OF HIS SEXUALY SCE A YOUNG AGE, KNOWG HE "JT FELT DIFFERENT" OM THE AGE OF 6, WHEN HE ULDN'T PROCS . HE KNEW HE WAS "MORE EMOTNAL" THAN THE OTHER BOYS HIS CLASS. IT TOOK UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIM TO REALIZE HE "WAS MORE ATTRACTED TO THE BOYS AND THE MEN" THAN HE WAS THE OPPOSE SEX.HAVG GROWN UP THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, HE REMEMBERED HE "LEARNED THE BIBLE THAT GAY IS A S" CATHOLIC GRA SCHOOL. AND DURG HIS TIME SPORTS, HE REMEMBERED PEOPLE G THE WORD "GAY" AS A TERM THAT HELD "A NNOTATN OF NEGATIVY.""I THK THERE'S A LOT OF THGS, WHEN I LOOK BACK, I'M LIKE, 'NO WONR I HELD ,'" HE SAID.UNRWOOD SAID HE HAS GROWN "CLOSER TO GOD" THIS REVELATN AND SAID HE KNOWS SOME PEOPLE WILL QUTN HOW THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE FOR A GAY MAN TO SAY."I ED TO WAKE UP THE MORNG AND PRAY FOR HIM TO TAKE THE GAY AWAY. I ED TO PRAY FOR HIM TO CHANGE ME," HE SAID, ADDG THAT HIS RELATNSHIP WH GOD NOW ISN'T "NDNAL."UNRWOOD SAID HE'S HAD "A RANGE OF RPONS" TO HIS G OUT AND THE "UNRLYG, MOST MON ONE" HAS BEEN THEY WISH HE'D TOLD THEM SOONER, CLUDG HIS DAD."AND WHEN I HEAR THAT, I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD FAH MY IENDS AND MY FAY A LTLE B MORE," HE SAID. "THE ONLY REASON I'M STG DOWN WH YOU TODAY IS BEE I HAVE THE LOVE AND THE SUPPORT OF MY IENDS AND MY FAY."MORE: KATIE THURSTON AND MICHELLE YOUNG EACH GIVEN THEIR OWN SEASONS OF 'THE BACHELORETTE'UNRWOOD SAID HE STILL HASN'T HAD AN "EMOTNAL NNECTN" WH SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX, BUT HE IS LOOKG FORWARD TO FDG A PARTNER."I'VE NEVER ALLOWED MYSELF TO," HE NTUED. "AND IT'S NEVER BEEN SORT OF MY RDS TO LET MYSELF GET THERE, AND I WANT TO MORE THAN ANYTHG. I'M LOOKG FOR SOMEONE WHO N PH ME AND CHALLENGE ME ALL THE GREAT WAYS."WHEN ROBERTS ASKED IF HE HAD ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE STGGLG TO E OUT, UNRWOOD SAID HE STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO AND IS STILL LEARNG."BUT IF I HAD TO GO BACK AND GIVE ANYBODY ADVICE, I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA GET THROUGH IS WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF. KEEP FIGHTG FOR YOU. KEEP CHOOSG YOU EVERY MORNG. AND WHEN THE TIME'S READY OR WHEN THE TIME'S RIGHT AND YOU'RE READY, DO ON YOUR OWN TIME."ABC'S ROB ROBERTS WH COLTON UNRWOOD, THE LEAD OF THE 23RD SEASON OF "THE BACHELOR," DURG AN TERVIEW APRIL 2021.ABC13:36UNRWOOD, WHO GAVE HIS FAL ROSE TO CASSIE RANDOLPH 2019, SAYS HE “ME TO TERMS” WH HIS SEXUALY EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND IS THE “HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT” HE’S EVER BEEN.BACHELOR NATN WAS FIRST TRODUCED TO UNRWOOD WHEN HE WAS A NTTANT ON BEC KU'S SEASON OF "THE BACHELORETTE," THE 14TH SEASON, 2018. HE MA TO KU'S FAL FOUR.THE FORMER FOOTBALL STAR FOLLOWED THIS UP WH A BRIEF STT ON SEASON 4 OF "BACHELOR PARADISE," ON WHICH HE HAD A FLG WH TIA BOOTH.UNRWOOD WAS THEN THE LEAD OF SEASON 23 OF "THE BACHELOR" 2019, WH HIS VIRGY BEG A EQUENT TOPIC OF NVERSATN AND HIS FAMO FENCE-JUMPG MOMENT BEG ONE OF THE ANCHISE'S MOST DRAMATIC MOMENTS. HE GAVE HIS FAL ROSE TO NTTANT CASSIE RANDOLPH BUT ULTIMATELY CHOSE TO NOT PROPOSE TO HER, THOUGH THEY LATER TOLD "GMA" THEY HAD DISCSED AN ENGAGEMENT.MORE: CHRIS HARRISON WON'T HOST NEXT SEASON OF 'THE BACHELORETTE'THE TWO DATED AFTER THE SHOW WRAPPED UNTIL ANNOUNCG THEIR BREAKUP EARLY 2020. THEY LATER MA HEADL WHEN RANDOLPH WAS GRANTED A RTRAG ORR AGAST UNRWOOD, ACCG HIM OF STALKG AND HARASSG HER. IN A POLICE REPORT, SHE ACCED HIM OF PUTTG A TRACKG VICE ON HER R. UNRWOOD LATER RELEASED A STATEMENT EXPLAG THAT HE AND RANDOLPH HAD ROLVED THEIR ISSU PRIVATE. SHE LATER DISMISSED THE RTRAG ORR AND REQUTED THE POLICE VTIGATN BE DROPPED.IN HIS TERVIEW WH ROBERTS, UNRWOOD APOLOGIZED SPECIFILLY TO RANDOLPH FOR "ANY PA AND EMOTNAL STRS" HE ED HER AND SAID HE WISH HADN'T HAPPENED THE WAY DID."I WISH THAT I WOULD'VE BEEN URAGEO ENOUGH TO FIX MYSELF BEFORE I BROKE ANYBODY ELSE," HE SAID.HE SAID HE "LOVED EVERYTHG" ABOUT RANDOLPH, WHICH "ONLY MA HARR AND MORE NFG" FOR HIM AS HE WAS EXPERIENCG HIS OWN "TERNAL FIGHT."PRR TO HIS TIME ON REALY TV, UNRWOOD FAMOLY DATED OLYMPIC GYMNAST ALY RAISMAN. HE WROTE ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIP -- AND MUCH MORE -- HIS 2020 BOOK, "THE FIRST TIME: FDG MYSELF AND LOOKG FOR LOVE ON REALY TV."THE DAYS, UNRWOOD IS JT "PROUD" OF HOW FAR HE HAS E."I'M STILL THE SAME COLTON EVERYBODY MET ON TV. I'M STILL THE SAME COLTON TO MY IENDS AND MY FAY, I JT HAPPEN TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WH PEOPLE NOW ALL OF ME," HE SAID. "AND I AM PROUD OF THAT, YOU KNOW? I AM PROUD TO BE GAY."IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP OR SUPPORT, NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386. COUNSELG IS ALSO AVAILABLE 24/7 VIA CHAT AT , OR BY TEXTG 678-678.RELATED TOPICSTHE BACHELORUP NEXT CULTURE—DREW CAREY, ADAM SANDLER AND MORE CELEBRI PAY TRIBUTE TO BOB BARKERAUGT 26, 2023ALS ASSOCIATN GETS DONATN BOOST FOLLOWG ATH OF SANDRA BULLOCK'S PARTNER BRYAN RANDALL AUGT 26, 2023THOMAS RHETT AKS SHAR SUMMER ALBUM WH SWEET FAY PHOTOSAUGT 25, 2023SEE ARIANA GRAN PERFORM 'HONEYMOON AVENUE' TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF 'YOURS TLY,' HER BUT ALBUMAUGT 25, 2023UP NEXT CULTURE—DREW CAREY, ADAM SANDLER AND MORE CELEBRI PAY TRIBUTE TO BOB BARKERAUGT 26, 2023ALS ASSOCIATN GETS DONATN BOOST FOLLOWG ATH OF SANDRA BULLOCK'S PARTNER BRYAN RANDALL AUGT 26, 2023THOMAS RHETT AKS SHAR SUMMER ALBUM WH SWEET FAY PHOTOSAUGT 25, 2023SEE ARIANA GRAN PERFORM 'HONEYMOON AVENUE' TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF 'YOURS TLY,' HER BUT ALBUMAUGT 25, 2023
• FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY
• 'THE BACHELOR' HAS A TROUBLED HISTORY WHEN TO GAY ROMANCE. IT'S NOT ALONE
• COLTON UNRWOOD JT CAME OUT AS GAY AND SAID "I'M THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT I'VE EVER BEEN"
• FANS WANT A GAY 'BACHELOR' SEASON WH COLTON UNRWOOD, BUT 'S NOT THE RIGHT MOVE. HERE'S WHY
• FORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY, CHRIS HARRISON IS 'VERY PROUD' OF HIM
• BACHELOR STAR COLTON UNRWOOD COM OUT AS GAY

COLTON UNRWOOD, FORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR, OUT AS GAY

" The show's stg ll is askg for both men and women — a first for the entire anchise Unrwood beme the first openly gay man Bachelor Natn April Unrwood.

It was dropped that April 2021, Unrwood me out as gay durg an terview on "Good Morng Ameri. "This mak him the first former lead to be part of the LGBTQ muny, and the first gay male volved wh the Burt me out as bisexual durg "Bachelor Paradise, " and she later proposed to her girliend durg the Burt.

COLTON UNRWOOD, ‘BACHELOR’ STAR, COM OUT AS GAY

Former "Bachelor" star Colton Unrwood revealed that he is gay a taped terview wh "Good Morng Ameri" anchor Rob Roberts that aired Wednday.

COLTON UNRWOOD, THE FIRST GAY ‘BACHELOR,’ CONONTS HIS CONTROVERSIAL COMG OUT

And I’m gay, and I me to terms wh that earlier this year, and I’ve been procsg and the next step all of this was sort of lettg people know, " Unrwood, 29, told Roberts.

""I'm proud to be gay, " Unrwood said later the terview. In an terview wh Entertament Tonight last year, he said that "The Bachelor" helped him realize that he was not gay, after stgglg wh his sexualy. And a book he published 2020, "The First Time: Fdg Myself and Lookg for Love on Realy TV, " he revealed that growg up, people would qutn whether he was gay, sce he was a virg and a football player.

THE BACHELOR STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY

The tth is, I was a virg bachelor bee I was gay and I didn't know how to handle , " Unrwood told Roberts.

"He said his Catholic upbrgg and athletic life ma him supprs his sexualy, even though he knew he was gay his hman year of high now, Unrwood said he is closer to God than ever before. "And I know even sayg that now as a gay man, people are gog to be like 'how is that even possible? '""I ed to wake up the morng and pray for him to take the gay away, " Unrwood explaed.

'BACHELOR' ALUM COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY: 'I'M THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT I'VE EVER BEEN'

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe 29-year-old former football player had wrten about qutng his sexualy a memoir, published Shotwell/Invisn, via Richard Shotwell, via Invisn, via Associated PrsColton Unrwood, a star of “The Bachelor” and a former football player, me out as gay an terview wh Rob Roberts that aired Wednday on “Good Morng Ameri. And I’m gay.

'THE BACHELOR' 'S COLTON UNRWOOD COM OUT AS GAY: 'I'VE RAN OM MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME'

“I would have rather died than say, ‘I’m gay. “‘You know, Colt, we’d still love you and support you if you were gay, ’” he relled his mother tellg father was more nontatnal.

FORMER ‘BACHELOR’ COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY ON ‘GMA’

“He’d pulled up the history of recent Google search, which clud gay porn s and a variety of qutns: ‘Am I gay? How do you know if you’re gay? )In s 20 years, the anchise has never featured an all-gay st.

Colton Unrwood didn’t plan on ever tellg the world that he was gay.

“I’ll jt say , ” Unrwood reveals on a recent afternoon, still adjtg to his new life as an openly gay man. Acrdg to him, last year, while livg Los Angel, he secretly vised a spa known for terg to gay clientele.

'BACHELOR' ALUM CASSIE RANDOLPH ON HOW SHE 'FOUND OUT' ABOUT EX COLTON UNRWOOD COMG OUT AS GAY

At one time, g out of the closet was emed a reer killer, but shows like “The Real World, ” “Survivor” and the origal “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, ” now rebooted on Netflix, led to a profound, posive transformatn how gay people are perceived, and helped brg about progrsive chang to LGBTQ civil rights. As new generatns of lennials and Gen Zers have grown up wh LGBTQ iends and role mols, gay Amerins have attaed the right to marry, and queerns has bee more mastream media, as proven shows like HBO’s high school h “Euphoria” and sentially half of the characters the Ryan Murphy universe.

A gay “Bachelor, ” though? His announcement that he was gay cid wh news that he was filmg a Netflix realy show about his new life.

FORMER BACHELOR COLTON UNRWOOD COM OUT AS GAY: ‘I’M THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT I’VE EVER BEEN’

And others legimately argued that as a hunky whe gay man, he was benefg om privilege, takg a platform that other members of the queer muny served more than he did. “If you’re gay, be gay! “I had never seen a football player that had ma to the NFL that had been gay, growg up Catholic.

SHOP THE BT OF 'THE RIGHT STUFF'!OPEN MENUVIOSHOPCULTUREFAYWELLNSFOODLIVGSTYLETRAVELNEWSBOOK CLUBGMA3: WYNTKNEWSLETTERPRIVACY POLICYYOUR US STATE PRIVACY RIGHTSCHILDREN'S ONLE PRIVACY POLICYINTERT-BASED ADSTERMS OF USEDO NOT SELL MY INFOCONTACT USCOPYRIGHT © 2023 ABC NEWS INTER VENTUR. ALL RIGHTS RERVED.SEARCHCULTUREFORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY13:36FORMER 'BACHELOR' COLTON UNRWOOD SPEAKS HIS TTH AND OUT AS BYCARSON BLACKWELR VIO BYJA ANRSON AND DANIELLE GEAPRIL 14, 2021, 7:33 AM•8 M READCOLTON UNRWOOD IS READY TO LIVE HIS TTH.THE FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR ME OUT AS GAY AN EXCLIVE TERVIEW WH ROB ROBERTS ON "GOOD MORNG AMERI" ON WEDNDAY."I'VE RAN OM MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME. I'VE HATED MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME," UNRWOOD TOLD ROBERTS A PRE-TAPED CHAT. "AND I'M GAY. AND I ME TO TERMS WH THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR AND HAVE BEEN PROCSG . AND THE NEXT STEP ALL OF THIS WAS SORT OF LETTG PEOPLE KNOW."MORE: COLTON UNRWOOD SETS 'EPLY PERSONAL' TERVIEW ON 'GMA' WH ROB ROBERTS"I'M STILL NERVO, BUT YEAH," HE NTUED. "IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY FOR SURE."ABC'S ROB ROBERTS WH COLTON UNRWOOD, THE LEAD OF THE 23RD SEASON OF "THE BACHELOR," DURG AN TERVIEW APRIL 2021.ABCUNRWOOD SAID HE FALLY GOT TO A PLACE WHERE HE ULD BE HONT WH HIMSELF AFTER 2020, THE YEAR THAT TURNED EVERYONE'S LIV UPSI DOWN, AND MA PEOPLE "LOOK AT THEMSELV THE MIRROR AND FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN NNG OM OR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN PUTTG OFF THEIR LIV."WHEN ROBERTS, WHO IS ALSO OPENLY GAY, SAID SHE ULD "SEE THE JOY" AND "SEE THE RELIEF" UNRWOOD, HE SAID HE WAS "EMOTNAL , LIKE SUCH A GOOD, HAPPY, POSIVE WAY," AND IS "THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT" HE'S EVER BEEN.UNRWOOD SAID HE WENT THROUGH A "DARK AND BAD" TIME BEFORE FEELG LIKE HE ULD REVEAL THIS ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS "WAKE UP LL" WAS FEELG LIKE HE "WOULD'VE RATHER DIED" THAN SAY HE'S GAY."THERE WAS A MOMENT L.A. THAT I WOKE UP AND I DIDN'T THK I WAS GONNA WAKE UP. I DIDN'T HAVE THE TENTNS OF WAKG UP. AND I DID," HE RELLED, NOTG THIS MOMENT -- AND OTHER "SUICIDAL THOUGHTS" -- LED HIM TO "TAKE BACK NTROL" OF HIS LIFE.WHEN ROBERTS ASKED ABOUT THE WOMEN OM HIS "BACHELOR" SEASON AND HOW THEY -- AMONG OTHERS -- MAY FEEL MISLED, UNRWOOD SAID HE "WOULD UNRSTAND WHY THEY THK THAT WAY.""I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THIS TOO, OF, 'DO I REGRET BEG THE BACHELOR AND DO I REGRET HANDLG THE WAY THAT I DID?' I DO," HE SAID. "I DO THK I ULD'VE HANDLED BETTER, I'LL SAY THAT."UNRWOOD SAID HE "GENUELY" WISH HE HADN'T DRAGGED PEOPLE TO "MY OWN MS OF FIGURG OUT WHO I WAS." IN ADDN TO SAYG SORRY TO THOSE WOMEN, HE WOULD SAID THANK YOU BEE, ULTIMATELY, THEY AND THE ANCHISE HELPED HIM GET TO THIS PLACE.MORE: MATT JAM REFLECTS ON 'BACHELOR' SEASON, RACHAEL KIRKNNELL NTROVERSYWHEN HE WAS NAMED THE BACHELOR, UNRWOOD SAID HE REMEMBERED "PRAYG TO GOD" THE MORNG HE FOUND OUT AND "THANKG HIM FOR MAKG ME STRAIGHT,' THKG THIS WOULD LEAD TO HIM FALLY GETTG THE WIFE AND THEM HAVG KIDS.COLTON UNRWOOD AS "THE BACHELOR," FOR SEASON 23, 2019.CRAIG SJOD/ABCBUT UNRWOOD SAID HE HAD KNOWN THE TTH OF HIS SEXUALY SCE A YOUNG AGE, KNOWG HE "JT FELT DIFFERENT" OM THE AGE OF 6, WHEN HE ULDN'T PROCS . HE KNEW HE WAS "MORE EMOTNAL" THAN THE OTHER BOYS HIS CLASS. IT TOOK UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIM TO REALIZE HE "WAS MORE ATTRACTED TO THE BOYS AND THE MEN" THAN HE WAS THE OPPOSE SEX.HAVG GROWN UP THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, HE REMEMBERED HE "LEARNED THE BIBLE THAT GAY IS A S" CATHOLIC GRA SCHOOL. AND DURG HIS TIME SPORTS, HE REMEMBERED PEOPLE G THE WORD "GAY" AS A TERM THAT HELD "A NNOTATN OF NEGATIVY.""I THK THERE'S A LOT OF THGS, WHEN I LOOK BACK, I'M LIKE, 'NO WONR I HELD ,'" HE SAID.UNRWOOD SAID HE HAS GROWN "CLOSER TO GOD" THIS REVELATN AND SAID HE KNOWS SOME PEOPLE WILL QUTN HOW THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE FOR A GAY MAN TO SAY."I ED TO WAKE UP THE MORNG AND PRAY FOR HIM TO TAKE THE GAY AWAY. I ED TO PRAY FOR HIM TO CHANGE ME," HE SAID, ADDG THAT HIS RELATNSHIP WH GOD NOW ISN'T "NDNAL."UNRWOOD SAID HE'S HAD "A RANGE OF RPONS" TO HIS G OUT AND THE "UNRLYG, MOST MON ONE" HAS BEEN THEY WISH HE'D TOLD THEM SOONER, CLUDG HIS DAD."AND WHEN I HEAR THAT, I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD FAH MY IENDS AND MY FAY A LTLE B MORE," HE SAID. "THE ONLY REASON I'M STG DOWN WH YOU TODAY IS BEE I HAVE THE LOVE AND THE SUPPORT OF MY IENDS AND MY FAY."MORE: KATIE THURSTON AND MICHELLE YOUNG EACH GIVEN THEIR OWN SEASONS OF 'THE BACHELORETTE'UNRWOOD SAID HE STILL HASN'T HAD AN "EMOTNAL NNECTN" WH SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX, BUT HE IS LOOKG FORWARD TO FDG A PARTNER."I'VE NEVER ALLOWED MYSELF TO," HE NTUED. "AND IT'S NEVER BEEN SORT OF MY RDS TO LET MYSELF GET THERE, AND I WANT TO MORE THAN ANYTHG. I'M LOOKG FOR SOMEONE WHO N PH ME AND CHALLENGE ME ALL THE GREAT WAYS."WHEN ROBERTS ASKED IF HE HAD ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEONE STGGLG TO E OUT, UNRWOOD SAID HE STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO AND IS STILL LEARNG."BUT IF I HAD TO GO BACK AND GIVE ANYBODY ADVICE, I MEAN, YOU'RE GONNA GET THROUGH IS WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF. KEEP FIGHTG FOR YOU. KEEP CHOOSG YOU EVERY MORNG. AND WHEN THE TIME'S READY OR WHEN THE TIME'S RIGHT AND YOU'RE READY, DO ON YOUR OWN TIME."ABC'S ROB ROBERTS WH COLTON UNRWOOD, THE LEAD OF THE 23RD SEASON OF "THE BACHELOR," DURG AN TERVIEW APRIL 2021.ABC13:36UNRWOOD, WHO GAVE HIS FAL ROSE TO CASSIE RANDOLPH 2019, SAYS HE “ME TO TERMS” WH HIS SEXUALY EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND IS THE “HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT” HE’S EVER BEEN.BACHELOR NATN WAS FIRST TRODUCED TO UNRWOOD WHEN HE WAS A NTTANT ON BEC KU'S SEASON OF "THE BACHELORETTE," THE 14TH SEASON, 2018. HE MA TO KU'S FAL FOUR.THE FORMER FOOTBALL STAR FOLLOWED THIS UP WH A BRIEF STT ON SEASON 4 OF "BACHELOR PARADISE," ON WHICH HE HAD A FLG WH TIA BOOTH.UNRWOOD WAS THEN THE LEAD OF SEASON 23 OF "THE BACHELOR" 2019, WH HIS VIRGY BEG A EQUENT TOPIC OF NVERSATN AND HIS FAMO FENCE-JUMPG MOMENT BEG ONE OF THE ANCHISE'S MOST DRAMATIC MOMENTS. HE GAVE HIS FAL ROSE TO NTTANT CASSIE RANDOLPH BUT ULTIMATELY CHOSE TO NOT PROPOSE TO HER, THOUGH THEY LATER TOLD "GMA" THEY HAD DISCSED AN ENGAGEMENT.MORE: CHRIS HARRISON WON'T HOST NEXT SEASON OF 'THE BACHELORETTE'THE TWO DATED AFTER THE SHOW WRAPPED UNTIL ANNOUNCG THEIR BREAKUP EARLY 2020. THEY LATER MA HEADL WHEN RANDOLPH WAS GRANTED A RTRAG ORR AGAST UNRWOOD, ACCG HIM OF STALKG AND HARASSG HER. IN A POLICE REPORT, SHE ACCED HIM OF PUTTG A TRACKG VICE ON HER R. UNRWOOD LATER RELEASED A STATEMENT EXPLAG THAT HE AND RANDOLPH HAD ROLVED THEIR ISSU PRIVATE. SHE LATER DISMISSED THE RTRAG ORR AND REQUTED THE POLICE VTIGATN BE DROPPED.IN HIS TERVIEW WH ROBERTS, UNRWOOD APOLOGIZED SPECIFILLY TO RANDOLPH FOR "ANY PA AND EMOTNAL STRS" HE ED HER AND SAID HE WISH HADN'T HAPPENED THE WAY DID."I WISH THAT I WOULD'VE BEEN URAGEO ENOUGH TO FIX MYSELF BEFORE I BROKE ANYBODY ELSE," HE SAID.HE SAID HE "LOVED EVERYTHG" ABOUT RANDOLPH, WHICH "ONLY MA HARR AND MORE NFG" FOR HIM AS HE WAS EXPERIENCG HIS OWN "TERNAL FIGHT."PRR TO HIS TIME ON REALY TV, UNRWOOD FAMOLY DATED OLYMPIC GYMNAST ALY RAISMAN. HE WROTE ABOUT THEIR RELATNSHIP -- AND MUCH MORE -- HIS 2020 BOOK, "THE FIRST TIME: FDG MYSELF AND LOOKG FOR LOVE ON REALY TV."THE DAYS, UNRWOOD IS JT "PROUD" OF HOW FAR HE HAS E."I'M STILL THE SAME COLTON EVERYBODY MET ON TV. I'M STILL THE SAME COLTON TO MY IENDS AND MY FAY, I JT HAPPEN TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WH PEOPLE NOW ALL OF ME," HE SAID. "AND I AM PROUD OF THAT, YOU KNOW? I AM PROUD TO BE GAY."IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP OR SUPPORT, NTACT THE TREVOR PROJECT'S TREVORLIFELE 24/7 AT 1-866-488-7386. COUNSELG IS ALSO AVAILABLE 24/7 VIA CHAT AT , OR BY TEXTG 678-678.RELATED TOPICSTHE BACHELORUP NEXT CULTURE—DREW CAREY, ADAM SANDLER AND MORE CELEBRI PAY TRIBUTE TO BOB BARKERAUGT 26, 2023ALS ASSOCIATN GETS DONATN BOOST FOLLOWG ATH OF SANDRA BULLOCK'S PARTNER BRYAN RANDALL AUGT 26, 2023THOMAS RHETT AKS SHAR SUMMER ALBUM WH SWEET FAY PHOTOSAUGT 25, 2023SEE ARIANA GRAN PERFORM 'HONEYMOON AVENUE' TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF 'YOURS TLY,' HER BUT ALBUMAUGT 25, 2023UP NEXT CULTURE—DREW CAREY, ADAM SANDLER AND MORE CELEBRI PAY TRIBUTE TO BOB BARKERAUGT 26, 2023ALS ASSOCIATN GETS DONATN BOOST FOLLOWG ATH OF SANDRA BULLOCK'S PARTNER BRYAN RANDALL AUGT 26, 2023THOMAS RHETT AKS SHAR SUMMER ALBUM WH SWEET FAY PHOTOSAUGT 25, 2023SEE ARIANA GRAN PERFORM 'HONEYMOON AVENUE' TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF 'YOURS TLY,' HER BUT ALBUMAUGT 25, 2023

“I’ve had hundreds of gay Christian men and women who are nfed their walk wh J say, ‘I felt closer to God when I me out.

“I never want people to thk that I’m g out to change the narrative, or to bsh over and not take rponsibily for my actns, and now that I have this gay life that I don’t have to addrs my past as a straight man, ” Unrwood says. Cled to ment for this story, or answer qutns about whether there have been discsns about velopg a gay season of “The Bachelor.

FORMER "BACHELOR" STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY

Realy TV has the power to change mds, showsg unrreprented muni to sectns of the untry who might not e across gay, bisexual or transgenr people their everyday liv. The number of high-profile gay love stori at the movi — among them, the Hulu romantic edy “Happit Season” and 2017 Sundance darlg “Call Me by Your Name” — remas small.

'THE BACHELOR' HAS A TROUBLED HISTORY WHEN TO GAY ROMANCE. IT'S NOT ALONE

It’s rare to see a full-fledged gay love story, or hts of gay romance, on a realy TV show. When Lance Bass, who is openly gay, appeared on the program 2008, he was paired wh a female partner.

Unrwood’s faced mons as a closeted gay man.

COLTON UNRWOOD JT CAME OUT AS GAY AND SAID "I'M THE HAPPIT AND HEALTHIT I'VE EVER BEEN"

For Unrwood, growg up Washgton, Ill., wh a populatn of 15, 000, there were no gay role mols.

FANS WANT A GAY 'BACHELOR' SEASON WH COLTON UNRWOOD, BUT 'S NOT THE RIGHT MOVE. HERE'S WHY

“We had one gay person my entire town, ” Unrwood says. Though he felt that he was different at the age of 6, Unrwood never got the chance to teract wh gay people. “I would have done anythg to see a gay football player, ” he says, gettg choked up.

FORMER 'BACHELOR' STAR COLTON UNRWOOD OUT AS GAY, CHRIS HARRISON IS 'VERY PROUD' OF HIM

He ed a iend’s Blockbter rd to rent the movie, so that no one his fay would spect him of beg gay. “Gay porn was sort of what I gravated towards, ” Unrwood adms, clenchg his jaw. At the time, Unrwood nied beg gay to his father.

He remembers that when Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player drafted by the NFL 2014, no one the locker room supported the ia. Their homophobia only drove him eper to the closet. “Growg up sports, I was tght that gay is wrong and gay is bad and football players are not gay, ” Unrwood says.

“By the time I realized that I was gay, I didn’t want to be gay. ’” Unrwood says of his gay enunters. But producers have ma sure not to jt foc on whe privileged gay men.

BACHELOR STAR COLTON UNRWOOD COM OUT AS GAY

In the seri, Unrwood will explore his posn of privilege, partly thanks to Kenworthy, who is featured by his si as someone who n relate to Unrwood’s experience, as a gay athlete who me out the spotlight. “He’s been somebody that I’ve not only learned so much om, but he’s held me acuntable and he’s allowed me to see the privilege of beg a straight-prentg gay, whe man, ” Unrwood says of Kenworthy.