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Biggest Bachelor Nation Moments of 2023: ‘The Golden Bachelor’ and More on December 27, 2023 at 3:00 am Us Weekly
Monica Schipper/Getty Images; Disney/John Fleenor
Bachelor Nation might have had its most dramatic year yet in 2023.
The year kicked off with Zach Shallcross’ Bachelor stint. The season was full of drama, thanks in part to his finale confrontation with Gabi Elnicki over their fantasy suite date.
“It’s honestly worse watching it back,” Gabi said during the live finale, reliving their breakup and calling it “violating” that Zach had revealed to the “entire nation” that they had sex. After their onscreen split, Zach proposed to Kaity Biggar, to whom he’s still engaged.
Zach and Kaity weren’t the only Bachelor Nation success story of the year. Charity Lawson became the Bachelorette in June, and when her season came to an end in August, she was engaged to Dotun Olubeko. The couple stayed strong while Charity competed on Dancing With the Stars, and they’re still together.
Come September, the first-ever Golden Bachelor season premiered with Gerry Turner at the helm. Bachelor Nation watched as he fell in love with three women — Theresa Nist, Faith Martin and Leslie Fhima — but ultimately proposed to Theresa. The couple has a Golden Wedding special set to air early next year.
Bachelor in Paradise season 9 finally premiered in September, with tons of former contestants hitting the beach. The finale premiered in December with three happy couples — Kylee Russell and Aven Jones, Eliza Isichei and Aaron Bryant and John Henry Spurlock and Kat Izzo — but they all announced their respective breakups days later.
Even when the cameras weren’t rolling, former leads and contestants were making jaw-dropping headlines. Keep scrolling for a full breakdown of the biggest Bachelor Nation moments of 2023:
Podcast Shakeups (January)
The year kicked off with Natasha Parker announcing that she would no longer be part of the “Click Bait” podcast — or the franchise at all. Not long after that, the Bachelor-produced podcast stopped releasing episodes altogether. Warner Bros. ended the show and subsequently moved host Joe Amabile to “Bachelor Happy Hour” with wife Serena Pitt, meaning Becca Kufrin and Michelle Young were out of a gig. Becca’s now-husband, Thomas Jacobs, later slammed the show online, but Joe told Us in July that the couples are still on good terms.
Gabi Confronts Zach (March)
Season 27 of The Bachelor may have started off slowly, but things really picked up when Zach had sex with Gabi — and then picked Kaity — after declaring earlier on that he wasn’t going to be intimate with anyone on the series.
Peter Weber and Kelley Flanagan Split for Good (May)
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Peter, the season 24 Bachelor, and Kelley, one of his contestants, dated on and off for three years after he ended his engagement to winner Hannah Ann Sluss in 2020. The twosome called it quits for good in 2023, with the pilot finally confirming his single status in May. Kelley, for her part, has since started dating Ari Raptis.
Brandon Jones and Serene Russell Don’t See Eye to Eye on Their Split (May)
Brandon and Serene announced their “painful” breakup in May, splitting less than one year after he proposed during the Bachelor in Paradise season 8 finale.
“We are deeply hurting and can only ask that there be no hate,” the exes wrote in a joint social media statement. “The best path for us at this time is to try and move forward and heal from this as individuals.”
In October, Serene addressed the rumored infidelity surrounding their breakup. She claimed that a video surfaced that confirmed Brandon had cheated on her prior to their split. Brandon, meanwhile, took a stand against the “false” narrative but “took ownership” for his actions.
“She felt that I had cheated and wanted to make this news known,” he alleged in an Instagram Story statement. “For the record, in the early days of our official breakup, I shared one dance with a woman … nothing else, just a single dance before leaving with my friends.”
Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick Call Off Their Engagement (August)
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In perhaps the most jaw-dropping Bachelor Nation breakup of the year, Kaitlyn and Jason announced their “heartbreaking” split after four years together with a joint Instagram statement in August.
“I think people assume if people break up, something bad happened. And I think that’s the hardest part of this whole breakup — nothing bad happened,” Kaitlyn shared during an August episode of her “Off the Vine” podcast. “We have both not made each other a priority. And this is what happens.”
The pair have no bad blood — the exes reunited for the first time at Chris Harrison and Lauren Zima’s wedding in November — but Jason has since admitted to crying more over the breakup than anything in his life.
“Kaitlyn meant so much to me and still currently does,” he shared on Chris’ “The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever” in December.
Charity and Dotun Get Engaged (August)
The season 20 couple are still going strong after Dotun popped the question during the August finale, making Charity the first Bachelorette since Rachel Lindsay on season 13 in 2017 to still be with her final rose winner.
Gabby Windey Finds Love With Robby Hoffman (August)
Disney/Eric McCandless
During an appearance on The View, the season 19 co-Bachelorette revealed she is in a relationship with the female comedian. The announcement came less than one year after she ended her engagement to winner Erich Schwer in November 2022.
“The best thing [about our relationship] is that we’re both girls. I mean, I feel like we’re best friends and we can talk for hours,” Gabby later gushed to Us. “We have a lot of the same views. We have similar experiences. So, it really feels like an ideal relationship where you’re friends first, but also with a connection and an attraction. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Josh Seiter Is Alive After Death Hoax (August)
Josh — who appeared on Kaitlyn’s Bachelorette season in 2015 — made headlines in August when a since-deleted Instagram statement falsely announced his death. The following day, Josh revealed that he was still “alive and well” in a separate Instagram video.
“My account was hacked for the last 24 hours. I had been trying desperately to get into it,” Josh said. “Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I’ve gone through with depression and suicide attempts. I am sorry for the pain they caused when they made that post.”
Josh’s ex Monica Beverly Hillz (real name Monica Dejesus-Anaya) alleged to Entertainment Weekly that “there’s no way in hell” his account was hacked. Josh subsequently denied Monica’s claims. (Reality TV superfans may also remember Monica from her season 5 turn on RuPaul’s Drag Race.)
Weeks later, Josh announced that he had checked himself into a mental health facility after receiving “hundreds of hateful messages” regarding the death hoax.
Clayton Echard Is Not Going to Be a Father (September)
Youtube
Former Bachelor Clayton made headlines in September after news broke that an unnamed woman filed court documents one month prior alleging that she was pregnant with his twins. In the docs, filed on August 1, the woman claimed she had “engaged in sexual activity” with Echard in May and hadn’t “hadn’t been with anyone since March of 2022.”
In a response to the initial filing, Clayton claimed that the case was “groundless and lacking in merit.” He also alleged in a statement to Us Weekly that he “did not have sexual intercourse” with the woman. He subsequently agreed to take a paternity test.
In an October Instagram video, Clayton announced to Bachelor Nation that he is not the father of the twins. “I got the good news today,” he said. “The test results came back early, and they said little to no fetal DNA present. Let’s go, baby!”
The woman subsequently claimed in a statement to Us that Clayton was “lying” about the results.
Danielle Maltby and Michael Allio’s Breakup Turns Messy (September)
After weeks of speculation, Michael confirmed his and Danielle’s unplanned breakup during an episode of Jason’s “Trading Secrets” podcast in September.
“We’re not together anymore,” he said at the time. “We both threw a lot into this relationship, and it’s really awful when it doesn’t work out.”
Danielle spoke out about the split days later, revealing it was “not a mutual decision” in an Instagram Story. Danielle further discussed the breakup on “The WoMed” podcast, revealing that she was “blindsided” when Michael broke up with her “the day after” they froze her eggs.
Michael, for his part, claimed that he had previously expressed that he did not want to have more kids. (Michael shares 7-year-old son James with his late wife, Laura.)
Gerry Says ‘I Love You’ 3 Times (November)
ABC/Brian Bowen Smith
The first-ever senior Bachelor may have been older, but he wasn’t much wiser than the younger Bachelors before him. While he is now happily engaged to winner Theresa, Gerry had to face the music when he said “I love you” to all three of his finalists: Theresa, Leslie and Faith. Runner-up Leslie subsequently put him on blast during After the Final Rose and in interviews that followed, claiming that Gerry promised her she was The One during their overnight date.
Brayden Bowers Debuts Surprise Christina Mandrell Relationship (December)
Brayden from Charity’s season revealed that he is dating Christina from Zach’s season during the Bachelor in Paradise season 9 finale in December. After the finale aired, Christina gushed over her “truly special” relationship with Brayden.
“In each other, we have a space where being unapologetically ourselves is not just accepted but celebrated!” she captioned an Instagram post. “Something I never knew I was missing until I did.”
All 3 ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 9 Couples Implode … (December)
Bachelor in Paradise season 9 ended with three seemingly happy couples. While Kylee and Aven left the beach in a relationship, they — much to Kylee’s chagrin — did not get engaged. After the BiP finale aired, Aven posted a photo announcing that he and Kylee were still together. One day later, however, Kylee announced on social media that she and Aven broke up after their relationship “dissolved due to multiple infidelities.” Aven, for his part, apologized to Kylee in his own statement, noting that he’s in an “extremely low place.”
Aaron proposed to Eliza during the BiP season 9 finale. The duo stayed silent about the status of their relationship after the finale aired. Days later, Aaron announced that he and Eliza had called off their engagement with an “amicable split.” Eliza has yet to address the breakup.
Lastly, John Henry and Kat left the beach engaged. On BiP finale night, she played coy about the status of their relationship, sharing photos of herself and John Henry. Days later, however, they released a joint statement announcing they had called off their engagement due to their “career goals not aligning.”
… While Former Leads Find The One Off Screen (All Year Long)
Several former Bachelor and Bachelorette leads found their happily-ever-after off screen in 2023. Season 14 Bachelorette Becca married Thomas and welcomed their first son, while season 16 co-Bachelorette Clare Crawley married Ryan Dawkins. The couple are expecting their first child via surrogate. In May, season 10 Bachelorette Andi Dorfman married Blaine Hart in Italy. Tayshia Adams, who took over for Clare on season 16, started dating Summer House alum Luke Gulbranson, while season 15 Bachelorette Hannah Brown got engaged to longtime love Adam Woolard. Season 21 Bachelor Nick Viall is going to be a dad in the new wear when fiancée Natalie Joy gives birth to their daughter, while season 16 Bachelor Ben Flajnik got married in November (and opted not to announce his bride’s name). Season 23 Bachelor Colton Underwood and former host Chris Harrison rounded out the year of Bachelor Nation weddings when they exchanged vows with Jordan C. Brown and Lauren Zima, respectively.
Monica Schipper/Getty Images; Disney/John Fleenor Bachelor Nation might have had its most dramatic year yet in 2023. The year kicked off with Zach Shallcross’ Bachelor stint. The season was full of drama, thanks in part to his finale confrontation with Gabi Elnicki over their fantasy suite date. “It’s honestly worse watching it back,” Gabi said
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By Bolanle Media | July 2, 2026
Photo: Tyla at the 2026 Met Gala in custom Valentino — days before making the biggest business move of her career.
There are career moves, and then there are statements. Tyla just made a statement that will be studied in music business classrooms for years.
The South African superstar — born Tyla Laura Seethal, 24 years old, and already the proud owner of two Grammy Awards — has officially signed a multi-million dollar global deal with Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s powerhouse entertainment company, walking away from Epic Records to align herself with the most influential roster in the music business. The signing was confirmed across social media with a major digital announcement this week, and the reaction from industry insiders was immediate — shock, admiration, and the quiet acknowledgment that someone just changed the trajectory of African music forever.
From “Water” to a Global Phenomenon
Let’s not forget where this all started. In 2023, a 21-year-old from Johannesburg released a song called “Water” that nobody could quite categorize and everybody needed to hear. Within weeks, it had sparked one of the most viral TikTok dance challenges of the decade, charted simultaneously across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Africa, and earned Tyla a Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance — the first year that category even existed.
That win wasn’t just personal. It was a signal. African music — Afrobeats, Amapiano, and now what Tyla herself calls A*Pop — was no longer knocking at the door of the global mainstream. It had walked through it. And Tyla had handed it the key.
What followed was a whirlwind two years of sold-out shows, magazine covers, red carpet domination, and a growing reputation as one of the most stylistically fearless artists on the planet. She attended the 2026 Met Gala — her third consecutive appearance — wearing a custom Valentino gown dripping in diamond chains with a sweeping teal skirt, styled by the legendary Law Roach, with beauty by Pat McGrath. The look was breathtaking. But it was also strategic. Every Met Gala appearance, every fashion moment, every carefully placed interview has been building toward exactly this: the infrastructure to match the vision.
What Roc Nation Actually Means
To understand why this deal matters, you have to understand what Roc Nation actually is — because it is not simply a record label.
Founded by Jay-Z in 2008, Roc Nation is a full-service entertainment company with divisions spanning artist management, touring, brand partnerships, film and television, sports management, and philanthropy. Its roster has included Rihanna, Alicia Keys, J. Cole, Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, and Megan Thee Stallion — artists who didn’t just sell records, but built multi-decade cultural empires that extended into fashion, film, business, and beyond. The through-line isn’t genre. It’s scale.
For Tyla specifically, the Roc Nation deal unlocks a completely different level of access. We’re talking about premium budgets for music videos and live production, top-tier brand partnership pipelines with luxury and lifestyle companies, film and television placement relationships that most artists spend a decade trying to build, and the kind of media weight that gets you on the cover of Vogue, Time, and Billboard in the same calendar year. Roc Nation doesn’t just manage artists — it engineers icons.
On the African music side, Tyla joins fellow Roc Nation signee Ayra Starr, the Nigerian pop star who inked her deal in 2025, deepening the label’s clear and deliberate strategic investment in African pop as the next dominant global genre. Jay-Z is not betting on a trend. He is betting on a generation.
The Album That Could Rewrite the Playbook
The timing of this signing is not accidental — it is surgical.
Tyla’s highly anticipated sophomore album, A*POP, is officially set to drop July 24, 2026, just three weeks away — a 14-track project that she has described as unapologetic, globally ambitious, and deeply rooted in her South African identity while simultaneously reaching for something universal. The lead single “She Did It Again” features Swedish pop titan Zara Larsson, a collaboration that announces in no uncertain terms that Tyla is not staying in any lane she didn’t build herself.
With Roc Nation’s full machine now behind the album rollout — promotional infrastructure, media relationships, tour routing, brand activations — A*POP arrives with a runway that Epic Records simply could not have provided at this scale. The industry is already paying attention. For music supervisors, film and TV executives, brand marketers, and entertainment investors reading this right now — put A*POP on your radar immediately. This is the kind of release that shapes culture, not just charts.
The Bigger Picture Nobody Is Talking About
Here is what gets lost in the excitement of a big announcement: the systemic significance of what Tyla just did.
The music industry’s historical relationship with African artists has been, at best, transactional — major labels slow to invest, quick to cash in on a viral moment, and consistently reluctant to build the kind of long-term infrastructure that turns an artist into a brand. Tyla has navigated that system with remarkable intelligence, refusing to be reduced to a trend, building her artistic identity on her own terms, and now — at 24 — arriving at the negotiating table with enough leverage to choose Roc Nation on her terms.
That matters. Not just for Tyla, but for every African artist watching this unfold from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Houston. It is proof that the path from regional phenomenon to global superstar is not only possible — it is being paved right now, in real time, by a young woman from Johannesburg who refused to shrink.
For media companies, content platforms, entertainment executives, and brand strategists operating in the African diaspora space — this is your data point. African pop is not a niche. It is not a trend. It is not a moment. It is a movement, and Tyla just secured the most powerful co-sign available in the global music business to lead it.
Watch this space. Very closely.
Follow @bolanlemedia on Instagram for real-time music, film, and entertainment industry news. Read more at bolanlemedia.com
AfriqueFest: Pan-African Musical Experience — World Cup Edition is set to take over Noto Houston on Sunday, June 28, bringing together East, South, and West African sounds in one immersive celebration of music, culture, and connection. Presented by Experience Noir and Bolanle Media, the event is designed as a cinematic night for the culture, blending global energy with Houston nightlife in a way that feels elevated, intentional, and deeply rooted in African creativity.
Spotlight on DJ Shinski
At the heart of this year’s experience is DJ Shinski. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and now based in Houston, DJ Shinski has built an international name off high-energy sets that move effortlessly across Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae, and electronic sounds.
He has also become Africa’s most‑subscribed DJ on YouTube, crossing the 2‑million‑subscriber mark and turning his mixes into a global destination for music lovers.
DJ Shinski’s style is precise but unpredictable: one moment it’s classic Afrobeats, the next it’s East African anthems, then a run of throwback hip‑hop or R&B that still feels fresh. That ability to read a room and connect multiple worlds in a single set is exactly why AfriqueFest is building so much of the night’s energy around him.
At AfriqueFest, DJ Shinski helps drive the Safari Grooves segment, representing East and Central Africa from 4 PM to 6 PM. Expect a journey that moves from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Addis, and beyond, all filtered through his signature “vibes on vibes” approach behind the decks.
DJ Tunez and the rest of the night
Supporting that energy, DJ Tunez leads the Gold Coast Beats chapter from 8 PM to 10 PM, bringing his own Nigerian‑American Afrobeats pedigree to the stage. Together with the Diamond Rhythms segment (South) and a curated roster of DJs, the night stretches across the continent in three distinct musical chapters, all connected by a single dance floor.
Hosted by @chris_gone_crazy, @kingdrewwskyy, @roselynomaka, and @samsnewleaf, AfriqueFest is positioned as more than a party—it’s a celebration of sound, style, and Pan‑African identity in Houston, with DJ Shinski anchoring the experience from the moment doors open.
Brought to you by Bolanle Media & Experience Noir
Brought to you by Bolanle Media and Experience Noir, this World Cup edition of AfriqueFest is crafted as a night where global DJs, storytellers, and music lovers collide and create a shared cultural memory. With DJ Shinski front and center—and DJ Tunez helping close the night—guests can expect a show that reflects both the future of African nightlife and the power of the diaspora to create unforgettable live moments.
If you want to experience DJ Shinski live at AfriqueFest, now is the time to lock in your spot. Purchase your tickets now at AfriqueFest.com and get ready for a night of music, movement, and culture at Noto Houston.
Laughter Meets Inspiration: Our Ladies Show Lands on The Roku Channel
A bold new sketch comedy series for women premieres June 13 across the U.S., U.K., and Canada — arriving on the back of a festival-winning run that has critics and audiences already paying attention.
It isn’t every day a brand-new comedy arrives already wearing a row of trophies. Our Ladies Show does. The seven-episode inspirational sketch comedy series — created, written by, and starring Christin Jezak — begins streaming on The Roku Channel on Friday, June 13, 2026, available free to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Produced in partnership with global media services leader Encompass Digital Media, the series sets out to do something rare in today’s streaming landscape: make women laugh out loud and leave them lifted. In a media moment crowded with noise and cynicism, Our Ladies Show is a deliberate counterweight — comedy with a conscience, built for women of every age and background.
A Show Built Around Real Life — and Real Laughs
Each of the seven episodes opens with a monologue from one of the cast members introducing the theme, then rolls into three or more sketches that hit the subject from every comedic angle. The series tackles the things women actually carry: holding grudges, comparison, beauty, patience, gift giving, the importance of community, and dealing with anxiety.
The comedy comes from a place of warmth rather than mockery — a “laugh at ourselves” spirit that runs through a gallery of unforgettable characters: a nosey neighbor, an overwhelmed mom, relentlessly optimistic flight attendants, beauty pageant winners past their prime, and a crew of unruly campers with a counselor who simply cannot hold it together.
Then the show does something most sketch series don’t. In the final segment of every episode, the cast gathers in a living-room setting and invites the audience in — sharing real inspiration drawn from the theme, the sketches, and their own personal stories. It’s the moment the laughter turns into something that stays with you.
The Women Behind the Show
Our Ladies Show brings together three performers with serious range:
- Christin Jezak — creator, writer, and star (Miracle at Manchester, Raising Hope, Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
- Hillary Hawkins — (Primal, Nick Jr.’s Play Along, Gullah Gullah Island)
- Sarah Hernandez — (Nefarious, Unplanned, House of Payne)
“In a world with so much division and depression, I hope women of all ages and backgrounds will watch this show, laugh, be reminded of how beautiful, unique, and loved they are, and remember how much we need each other.”— Christin Jezak, Creator & Star
Already a Festival Favorite
The series’ recurring long-form sketch, Neighborhood Watch, didn’t arrive quietly. Originally released as a web series and revamped for Our Ladies Show with new footage, sound, and music, it has been sweeping the festival circuit:
- 🏆 Best Webseries — 2026 New Media Film Festival (Los Angeles)
- 🏆 Best Web/TV Series — Paris Film Awards
- 🏆 Best Web Series — Dallas Movie Awards
- 🏅 Additional wins at the London Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and Hollywood Gold Awards
- 🎬 Official Selection — 2026 Harvard Divinity School Film Fest
- ⭐ Finalist — Houston Comedy Film Festival
- 📣 Three nominations — 2025 Content Christian Media Conference, including Best Actress in a TV and Web Series nods for both Christin Jezak and Sarah Hernandez
Where and When to Watch
Our Ladies Show premieres Friday, June 13, 2026, streaming on The Roku Channel — the home of premium and free entertainment — in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. All seven episodes deliver the series’ signature blend of sharp sketch comedy and genuine encouragement.
Watch the trailer now on your platform of choice:
For more information, visit www.ourladiesshow.com and follow @ourladiesshow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
About Christin Jezak
Christin Jezak has worked for over 15 years in the entertainment industry. She created and stars in Our Ladies Show and the award-winning web series Neighborhood Watch. She produced the EWTN TV program For the Sake of the Gospel and the all-women web series Ladies Keepin’ It Real, played Dr. Sam in Miracle at Manchester (starring Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, and Eddie McClintock), and voices Agnes in the podcast Confessions of a Catholic Single. She held a lead role in a short film for NTT Data directed by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, has co-starred on Raising Hope, and appeared in Jimmy Kimmel sketches and a Grubhub Super Bowl commercial.
About The Roku Channel
Roku pioneered streaming on TV and is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, Dec. 2025). The Roku Channel is the home of premium and free entertainment, alongside Roku’s Howdy and Frndly TV services. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, California.
About Encompass Digital Media
Encompass Digital Media is a global managed services company — technology-driven, software-defined, and people-powered. Trusted by world-leading broadcasters, networks, sports rights-holders, and OTT platforms, it processes over 25,000 hours of content daily, serves 850 channels to 84 countries, distributes over 243,000 live events annually, and reaches 400 million radio listeners weekly worldwide. Learn more at www.encompass.tv.
Media & Interview Requests: To interview creator Christin Jezak or the cast, contact Christin at cjezak@p2ptheatre.com.
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