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.
Although I am not a viewer of the show, as a long time viewer of Y&R, I loved Justin’s portrayal of Adam. From the moment I saw his first scene with Eric Braden,( I know I probably spelled his name wrong) I knew that Justin was destined for bigger and better things. He truly deserves everything he has.
First, I can’t even put into words how utterly excellent this show is. There is not one character whom I don’t love. It’s one of the most heartwarming, gut-wrenching, feel good/feel bad shows of all time. For me there wasn’t one standout in this episode; all were fantastic. Each actor brought his/her A- game as they have done since the first episode. And, I feel the younger actors deserve all the credit as well; they’re never mentioned by anyone. The casting director couldn’t have picked better actors to portray the Big Three as both pre-teen and then as teenagers. They… Read more »
Over and over again…..what’s not to love.
I just had to pull back from the program. It was too painful and real. So well done.
Hi Tani…
I agree; incredibly well done and very painful and real for those of us who have suffered loss.
Not sure if you meant that you pulled back from that particular episode or the show in general. If the show, I hope you tune in again; it’s so excellent. And, I guess you know this but just in case…”Jack” will still be on the show. Nothing changes in that sense.
Thank you Rebecca1 for your response to me, and for your well written response to all. Don’t think I would consider a pull back from such a superior program, but his loss, even though made clear earlier that he had died, felt a hard hit; perhaps a bit too hard. However, in some professions it defines success — thus a sad ending with potential for the forward moves. Those moves are what interest me, not only the conclusions.
Thank you again.
Oh, you’re welcome, Tani. The forward moves will probably be just as riveting….
Fantastic! One of the Best shows on TV!
This show is just, well, everything! The characters are perfectly cast, the writing is sensational and true to heart, and the storylines are real and human. There is nothing “fluff” about this series. It depicts so many of the real life struggles that people go through-in such a beautiful and tragic way. I haven’t watched the episode yet; but I will soon!
Incredible episode! Amazing work by Justin this season! Hoping Melissa Claire Egan finds her way on to this fabulous show, as a love interest for Kevin or as a completely separate character. Went through a whole box of tissues last night. Awesome storytelling by all!!!
I lost my dad recently, and I cannot tell you how cathartic it was watching this ep even though I knew (or should have remembered) it was coming.
Great acting, grounded story, beautiful moments along with the tragic. That’s This is Us and I love it. It has become my one go-to show every week since it has been on.
Sorry about your loss.
To be honest I don’t watch this show. But I wanted to see this epi to see epic acting on everyone’s part. I was blown away what a great job everyone did. Yes I cried thru most of it because this show was a true great piece of writing and acting by everyone. Congrat’s to everyone who worked on this episode.
I was hoping he would be saved in the end!! We have been watching most of this show knowing he is dead, it’s still sad to know he is really dead, if that makes any sense!!!
This show is just excellent. Each actor plays their part to perfection, including, yes, the wonderful younger actors who play the adults. What wonderful writing! The writers do so wonderfully what writers are supposed to do: make you care, really care, about the character. In this show that is spot on! Wonderful actors, excellent writing. I knew Justin Hartley from watching him on The Young and the Restless, and to be honest, that is really the only reason I began to watch this show. But I stayed for many reasons, for Justin and for the entire cast. Superb!
There are not enough superlatives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ok-
This is Us, is the King of soaps..
It makes the soaps look like a B movie.
I want to add..
I can’t imagine the show without Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) He will remain as always, I hope..
And, Justin he is so great on This is Us and he made the right move of getting out of a soap to explore a brighter future and he found it.
The whole cast is phenomenal, each and every one is outstanding..
BRAVO to ALL …
Well said!
He didn’t get out of soaps and find stardom (so to speak)/. He had already done primetime way before This Is Us; he was in Smallville for five years, Revenge for a year, Mistresses for two years and assorted other spots on Castle, Cold Case, CSI and assorted other primetime shows. What I DIDN’T know was that he got his start on the daytime show, Passions, which I’ve never watched.
I did Revenge; he was great in that, too.
Justin Hartley was able to do the monologue in one take because of his daytime experience. Kudos to the entire cast. They all did a great job. I was in tears when Rebecca was talking to Kevin on the phone aboute eating a candy bar. If you lost a parent at a young age as I did it brought up feelings I didn’t expect. Grief is like that.
Daytime doesnt get enough credit for the skill that is involved, day in and day out!
Hartley was a daytime gem that came and went due to his overwhelming talent. I love good guys and he is a good guy and I wish for everything good he wants in life. What a talent! I see him doing some kind of Tom Cruise Mission Impossible type movies that becomes a franchise.
I lost my father suddenly at the tender age of sixteen. Sixty years later I still struggle. Mr. Hartley’s performance was jaw-dropping.
It all STARTS with the WRITING….then ALL these standout actors
bring/breathe them to light/life. Outstanding tearjerker of a show…
hmmm everyone comments about Justin Hartley time on Y&R… but even before that he was wonderful on Smallville as the Green Arrow…. no one ever seems to mention this…
and lets not forget his wonderful portrayal as a gay man on Revenge.
I mentioned it, Brian, in my comment above to Su000. I think some people just think he started on Y&R and then got his big break, not realizing he was on quite a bit of primetime before This Is Us.
Well, Rebecca, I didn’t think they could top the Kevin and family therapy episode–that one had the most powerful effect on me. But I’m so glad Jack didn’t burn to death…that would have been too much to take. And isn’t it nice to see a positive father image on television? On sitcoms, dads are often dummies and in drama they’re unfaithful, abusive, or just “weekend” parents by choice. Jack is a refreshing change. Now, on a non-artistic level, Milo is even hotter now than on GILMORE GIRLS, where I didn’t even like his character, Jess. His range has really increased,… Read more »
Hi Soaphound… I think Justin’s been great in everything I’ve seen him in (haven’t seen all his work). The episode that absolutely broke my heart in This Is Us and had me in tears was the one on the night of his high school reunion when he realized he’d left his father’s necklace in that woman’s room…when he got down on the lawn and begged for someone to help him. That despair…uggggg..his plea for help…I just felt it to my core. Really powerful, completely devastating. I honestly think that was one of the most powerful scenes I’d ever seen on… Read more »
Hey Rebecca1
yes, you did, all I can say is your comment was not there when I posted mine, have you ever noticed you can click on a story and see no comments, but then re-click the story 10 minutes later and it then has plenty of comments ? I think it is due to the comments being moderated first. so my apologies, I would not have posted mine had of yours shown when I first read the article.
Hi Brian…don’t be silly…of course you should post your comment regardless…I totally understand! And, yes, that happens all the time on this site. I’ve posted many times when there are zero comments and then suddenly mine and so many others appear…so there’s bound to be numerous times when we don’t know while we’re writing our own post that someone’s said the same thing. Actually, I was happy to read your comment; I’ve seen several posts on different pages about Justin where some think Y&R “discovered” Justin and now he’s on to bigger/better, etc so it was nice that someone else… Read more »
I absolutely love this show ,of course it helps that Justin Hartley is on the show,This young man is such a talented actor.I don’t miss an episode.I was moved by his performance .Great show and a great casts
Reading these comments made me remember the scenes and cry.