Colton Underwood confesses he ‘hooked up’ with married men before being dubbed ‘Virgin Bachelor’

Colton Underwood “hooked up” pinch “married consecutive men” earlier his clip connected nan “Bachelor” franchise.

“To protect myself, I would only hook up pinch joined men. [Married] ‘straight’ men,” he explained during his Tuesday appearance connected nan “We Need To Talk” podcast.

“So that was benignant of my norm that I would ne'er break. When I was successful nan closet, that would beryllium nan only clip I would ever hook up pinch men was if they were joined … because they had much to suffer than I did.

“I was very careful, moreover erstwhile I was physically experimenting pinch guys and trying to, like, fig myself out,” Underwood explained, noting that he did truthful because he was terrified of being outed arsenic gay.

“So if they tried to, you know, ruin my profession and my life for football, they had a full family that they’d beryllium risking arsenic well,” Underwood continued. “So it’s a messed up point to deliberation through, but for illustration it was a shape of aforesaid [preservation]… it was conscionable for illustration a measurement to protect myself.”

The erstwhile NFL subordinate joined Bachelor Nation for Becca Kufrin’s play of “The Bachelorette” before becoming nan “Bachelor” in 2019.

While his play arsenic nan lead was being promoted connected ABC, he was dubbed nan first “Virgin Bachelor.”

“I retrieve I ever sewage asked why I was a virgin. So that was nan storyline that they wanted to tally with, and I hated it ’cause I didn’t want that pressure, and past I besides didn’t want group digging successful because astatine that clip I had hooked up pinch men,” he admitted.

The reality prima insisted, however, that he ne'er intended for his faux-virginity to go specified a cardinal attraction of his story.

“My full bosom was for illustration I’m not going to disclose to them that I’m a virgin nary matter what,” he recalled. “I virtually told them I was a virgin connected nighttime 1 of ‘The Bachelorette.’”

“I opened it up immediately, and I conscionable gave them everything which they loved,” he continued. “So that’s unluckily really it benignant of came to be, and past it became my full storyline.”

The “Traitors” alum besides shared that he accepted nan domiciled of the “Bachelor” because he was convinced it would “force” him down a accepted way that would beryllium accepted by his religion and his family.

“What I was telling myself is, ‘this is going to unit maine [to beryllium straight],’ ” he said. “I’m going to beryllium truthful publically consecutive that I will ne'er beryllium capable to beryllium cheery again.”

Underwood antecedently admitted to hooking up pinch joined men earlier his clip connected nan making love show successful an interview pinch Variety, but clarified astatine nan clip that he did not person activity pinch them.

“When I opportunity ‘hookups,’ not sex,” Underwood told nan outlet. “I want to make that very clear that I did not person activity pinch a man, anterior to that.”

Following his play of “The Bachelor,” Underwood dated contestant Cassie Randolph from March 2019 to May 2020. After their split, Randolph accused Underwood of stalking and harassing her.

Randolph was granted a impermanent restraining order but later requested it beryllium dismissed, pinch Underwood explaining astatine nan clip that they addressed her concerns and reached a “private agreement.”

Underwood ended up coming retired arsenic gay successful April 2021 during an emotional, sit-down question and reply pinch Robin Roberts connected “Good Morning America.”

He wed Jordan C. Brown successful March 2023, and nan mates welcomed their first child via surrogate nan pursuing year.