News
Former ‘Bachelor’ Colton Underwood Comes Out as Gay
This morning on the highly-promoted sit-down interview with GMA’s Robin Roberts, former ‘Bachelor’ lead Colton Underwood, revealed that he was gay and that he has finally come to terms with it.
The ex-football star shared: “Obviously this year’s been a lot for a lot of people, and it’s probably made a lot of people look themselves in the mirror and figure out who they are and what they’ve been running from or what they’ve been putting off in their lives. For me, I’ve ran from myself for a long time and I’ve hated myself for a long time, and I’m gay. I came to terms with that that earlier this year and have been processing it. The next step in all of this was sort of letting people know. I’m still nervous, but it’s been a journey for sure. I’m like the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been in my life. That means the world to me.”
Underwood expressed he went through a very dark time to be able to reveal his truth: “I got into a place in my personal life that was dark and bad. I can list a bunch of different things, but they’d all be excuses. I think overall the reason why now is because I got to a place where I didn’t think I was ever going to share this. I would rather have died than say ‘I’m gay,’ and I think that was sort of my wake up call. There was a moment in L.A. that I woke up and I didn’t think I was going to wake up,” he said. “I didn’t have the intentions of waking up, and I did. And I think for me that was my wake up call, that, ‘This is your life. Take back control.’ I think looking back even beyond that is… even just suicidal thoughts and driving my car close to a cliff, like, ‘Oh, if this goes off the cliff, it’s not that big of a deal.’ I don’t feel that anymore.”’
As to the questions or anger that ‘Bachelor Nation’ are going to have that Underwood misled the female contestants on his season, or he duped the audience, Colton said: “I thought a lot about this…Do I regret being ‘The Bachelor?’ And handling it the way that I did?’ I do think I could have handled it better, I’ll say that. I just wish I wouldn’t have dragged people into my own mess of figuring out who I was. I genuinely mean that, but also at the same time I can say ‘I’m sorry’ to all of those women, I can also say ‘thank you,’ because without them and without the ‘Bachelor’ franchise, I don’t know if this would have ever come out.”
Colton was highly-promoted during his season as the “Virgin Bachelor”. He acknowledged he was indeed a virgin at that time, but it was because he was gay, but just “didn’t know how to handle it”. Underwood also shared he was thankful to God that he was cast on the reality-competition as one of its season’s leads because he thought that would make him straight. He told Roberts in his talk with God, ‘Finally, you’re letting me be straight. Finally, you’re giving me a wife, a fiancée, and then I’m going to have the kids, then I’m going to have the house, and then I’m going to have all this.’
Photo: JPI
As to his contentious break-up with ‘Bachelor’ contestant, Cassie Randolph, where she had at one time had a restraining order put on Underwood and later revoked it, he admitted: “I would like to say sorry for how things ended. I messed up, I made a lot of bad choices.” But told Robin Roberts, he indeed loved Cassie, sharing, “That only made it harder and more confusing for me. if I’m being very honest, I loved everything about her. And it’s hard for me to articulate exactly what my emotions were, and going through that relationship with her was, because I obviously had an internal fight going on. I would just say that I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart. I’m sorry for any pain and emotional stress I caused. I wish it wouldn’t have happened the way it did. I wish that I would have been courageous enough to fix myself before I broke anybody else.”
Underwood shared that his upbringing in the Catholic church and being in the world of high school, college, and pro sports contributed to why he never came out previously, citing,: ” learned in the Bible that gay is a sin. I had made mistakes in my sports and in my athletic career, and when you make mistakes, ‘that play was gay’ or that was a bad… gay was always affiliated with a connotation of negativity, and I think there’s a lot of things when I look back, like, ‘No wonder I held it in.’”
So, were you surprised that Colton revealed he was gay? How do you feel about the journey he expressed in his interview on GMA to speak his truth? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
JUST IN: Former “Bachelor” star @Colton Underwood speaks his truth and comes out to @robinroberts: “I’m gay. And I came to terms with that earlier this year and have been processing it… I’m the happiest and healthiest I’ve ever been in my life.” https://t.co/PoYJUAPBpA pic.twitter.com/isP7SptUu7
— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 14, 2021
Who is surprised by this revelation?
good for him, I hope people embrace him and don’t shun him, life is hard for a lot of people and everyone deserves to live their truth, and not be condemned for that.
Good for Underwood for coming to terms with who he is.
Two other observations:
(1) One man’s “virgin” is another man’s “gay man who hasn’t come out yet.”
(2) The Bible, wonderful as it may be, has sure caused many individuals much pain. There, I said it!
Great observations James.
And while we give kudos to Colton for finally being free, keep in mind that he’s got an upcoming Netflix series which will document this process.
Once a reality “star”, always a reality “star”.
Steve, thanks a million for the positive feedback. You’re right about his reality “star” persona. There could be more such chapters to come. Cheers!
I understand that each person’s journey is different; however, this is 2021 not the 60s, 70s, 80s, or even 90s. My gay friends and family members who came out during those times had a lot more challenges. Documenting his “coming out process” after already being a reality star is just another notch in his narcissistic attention-seeking persona. Sad that people need that much attention.
Surprising . . . absolutely no one.
Most gay dudes don’t have the luxury of hiding in plain sight in a locker room. This is almost like a fair-skinned black man finally admitting that he isn’t white. No, he doesn’t now get an invite to the cookout for TELLING THE TRUTH! He enjoyed his personal luxury soooo much that he hated himself and the men he was lusting after, then he went on a TV show to fool even more women. Sorry, not sorry!
He’s a villain!
I can agree partially. Not only did he DELIBERATELY set out to fool people, he relished in the deceit. We all know it’s a struggle for many to come out but some don’t have that internal struggle – even if raised in a strictly religious home. It was so easy for him to lie about being gay, yet tell the truth about being a virgin? Today, being gay is actually more “normal” and acceptable than being a virgin! There is a deeper psychological issue going on here, but you know what? We’re all guilty of fooling people, just not in public.
We are in absolutely agreement, Dennis! There is something pathological here that is wayyy above my pay grade for me to diagnose. The press is TRYING so hard to spin him as a victim when he is a perpetrator. And I’m disgusted!
Yessssss! Lol
Another attention whore willing to put his fake persona out there just for notoriety and fame. TV, social media, and the music industry is littered with these types of narcissists.
Good for Colton that he finally accepted his own reality, but it’s just the perfect illustration of how ridiculous “The Bachelor” (and all of these other idiotic “reality” shows) actually is….
Dozens of young women line up to compete for the attention of a guy who just ain’t into any of them, and nobody asked why??
Maybe they did… I never watched the dumb show. But I would think somebody would have figured it out if none of them seemed to connect with him.
All My Children
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
On the Friday, October 2 episode of Live with Kelly and Mark, the morning talk show marked the 56th birthday of Kelly Ripa (ex-Hayley Vaughan Santos, All My Children).
During the opening segment, Mark Consuelos (ex-Mateo Santos, All My Children) humorously comparing his wife to both Gandhi and Groucho Marx, reflecting on both her comedic ability and peaceful ways.
Later, they went on to discuss the origins of her name and the most popular picks to name babies back in the year she was born, 1970. They were Kimberly, Lisa, and Jennifer for girls and Michael, David, and James for the boys.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Ripa recalled that she learned she was almost named Kim. However, their neighbors at the time had two daughters Kelly and Kim, which is what her parents wanted to call them, but they settled on Kelly and and her younger sister, Linda.
At the conclusion of the episode, Mark rolled out a huge cake for his wife. It was, “Happy birthday from all of us here at Live and at home.” Next, he cut the cake, and Ripa grabbed his face and gave him a “thank you” kiss.
Photo: JPI
KELLY AND MARK TRIED TO KEEP THEIR VEGAS WEDDING ON THE DOWN LOW
All of this brings back memories of how Kelly and Mark’s Las Vegas wedding ceremony went public in 1996 while the two were still on All My Children playing Mateo Santos and Hayley Vaughan. In essence, they were outed by then radio host Wendy Williams! They discussed it on the talk show back in 2024.
In fact, the duo hid their marriage from their All My Children castmates for months, until they found out Williams got wind of the nuptials and spread the intel on the airwaves.
The two recalled their secret wedding on a 2024 episode of Live! “We’d eloped. It’d been a few months at that point. We’d been married for three months, nobody at All My Children knew we were even dating, much less married to each other. We’re brushing our teeth and we’ve got Wendy Williams’ radio show on. We’re listening, and she’s like, ‘I’ve got celebrity dish!”
EYEWITNESS
Next Ripa continued, “The celebrities,’ I guess they had a broad use of the term back then, was the fact that ‘two soap stars from All My Children, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos eloped in Las Vegas.’ There was this eyewitness that worked in the Clark County courthouse that said we eloped, and the news broke, and we had to tell everybody we were married.”
Live With Kelly and Mark airs weekdays in syndication. Check your local listings for times in your area.
Share your birthday wishes for Kelly in the comment section, and let us know your thoughts on how Wendy Williams broadcast the news, unbeknownst to the All My Children newlyweds, that they tied the knot in Vegas? Check out Mark and the ‘Live’ studio audience singing ‘happy birthday’ to Kelly in the post below.
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Beyond the Gates
TUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
As previously reported, kicking off today, is a two-part Beyond the Gates, when The Duprees gather to celebrate Banneker University’s homecoming weekend.
The producers and writers are taking an opportunity to spotlight the rich traditions of the long-held tradition of attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through its fictional university.
The episodes are today on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Friday, October 2 and next week on Monday, October 5, where in true Beyond the Gates fashion, there will be some surprising drama that ensues when someone shows up!
Photo: CBS
BANNEKER REFLECTS THE IMPORTANCE OF HBCUS
Sheila Duckworth, (executive producer, Beyond the Gates) spoke to Soaps.com to give some insight on the decision for the series to illustrate the ties that bind with HBCUs.
“It was important that we have this school as almost a character on our canvas, right from the beginning. Beyond even education, HBCUs have been pivotal when it comes to everything from economic progression and fostering a sense of community to the development of leadership skills,” explained Ducksworth. “From the beginning, we wanted to illustrate that what the Duprees are able to do in the world was a direct reflection of the impact HBCU’s have in real life.”
EVERYTHING HAS ITS PURPOSE
The EP talked about how purposeful the elements that integrate Banneker into the overall story of Beyond the Gates are including: the Dupree family door knocker that is a lion, the mascot for the fictional university, plus, the upcoming fight song that the cast will sing together on the Monday, October 5 episode, and the painting the hangs at Fairmont Crest.
That portrait of Vernon Dupree’s (Clifton Davis) father, George Cheeks Dupree, that hangs prominently at the country club, was named after CBS executive George Cheeks (now Chairman of TV and Media, Paramount), and as Ducksworth says of the legacy of Vernon’s father, “He was the architect of Fairmont Crest.”
So, are you looking forward to these episodes honoring HBCU traditions with the Dupree and the Richardson clans? What surprises do you think might be in store come next week? Let us know via the comment section below.
Days Of Our Lives
‘General Hospital’ Alum Tajh Bellow Fills In for ‘Days of our Lives’ Tyler Joseph Andrews in the Role of Theo Carver
After an earlier post on Thursday, October 1 about General Hospital alumni Tajh Bellow’s (ex-TJ Ashford) upcoming project from Issa Rae’s HOOPAE Digital, comes word that Bellow is temporarily stepping into the role of Days of our Lives Theo Carver to fill in for Tyler Joseph Andrews on the Peacock streaming soap opera.
According to TV Insider, Bellow will be making a one-day appearance next week on the October 6 episode of DAYS as Andrews was unable to make the tape date that was shot 10 months ago on a day last December. Andrews (pictured below) took over the role of Theo in September of 2025.
In Bellow’s upcoming episode as Theo, he will share scenes with Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez). A DAYS spokesperson tells the outlet that Bellow “stepped seamlessly into the role, and the cast and crew were grateful for his professionalism and commitment, albeit for only one episode.”
Photo: JPI
TAJH WILL BE SEEN IN MULTIPLE PROJECTS IN OCTOBER
As General Hospital fans know, Tajh played the role of TJ Ashford from 2018 to his last appearance in December of 2024. Along the way, he received two Daytime Emmy nominations for his performances as TJ, the last being in 2025 in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
In addition, bellow along with Y&R alum Loren Lott will be seen starting on October 14 in the new Love Island spoof series, The Compatibility Experiment. The show will drop exclusively on TikTok and the PineDrama platform.
The Compatibility Experiment gives a satirical look at reality dating shows, think Love Island! The story centers around Kelvin (Bellow) and Camila (Lott), whose relationship is put to the test when they join a reality show to try to win a the million dollar prize.
So, what do you think of Tajh stepping in for Tyler Joseph Andrews as Theo on DAYS? Perhaps, the soap opera liked his work that he might be considered for another role in the future bringing Bellow back to the soaps? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
DAYS OF OUR LIVES Preview: Kristen Locates an Alive Sophia, How Much Does Rita Know About the Birth of Dominic Marino?
TUNE-IN: ‘Beyond the Gates’ Banneker Homecoming Episodes, EP Sheila Ducksworth Speaks on Impact HBCUs Have in Real Life
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair
‘General Hospital’ Alum Tajh Bellow Fills In for ‘Days of our Lives’ Tyler Joseph Andrews in the Role of Theo Carver
REPORT: ‘Days of our Lives’ Puts Four Actors On Contract
‘Beyond the Gates’ Honors HBCU Tradition with Banneker University Homecoming Episodes
Alley Mills Returns to ‘General Hospital’ as Heather Webber
Judith Light Joins Cast of ‘Shrinking’ Season 4 in Recurring Role
‘Beyond the Gates’ Marquita Goings Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
Mark Consuelos Celebrates Kelly Ripa’s 56th Birthday on ‘Live,’ But Remember When Wendy Williams Outed the Couple as Married Before Anyone at ‘All My Children’ Knew?
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Sonny Tells Dante, “I Don’t Want a Son Like You,” While Michael Tells Brook Lynn to Bide Her Time Till Chase and Willow Have an Affair
GH Alum Tajh Bellow and Y&R Alum Loren Lott Star in New Tiktok and Microdrama ‘Love Island’ Spoof
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ava and Drew Revealed to be Behind Framing Sonny for Sidwell’s Prison Beatdown
DANCING WITH THE STARS: Britt Stewart Visibly Upset After Shocking Elimination with Taylor Hanson
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