Earlier this month, it came to light that another man from “The Bachelor” franchise was named in a request for a temporary restraining order before his appearance on the first season of the “Golden Bachelorette.”
That’s the third restraining order revelation to hit the ABC reality franchise in about a month.
Guy Gansert, a contestant on the current season of “Golden Bachelorette,” had an application for a temporary protection order filed against him by his ex-wife in 2021, per E! News. She withdrew her application three weeks after she filed it, the article said.
Gansert addressed the situation in an Instagram statement on Thursday.
“This was an unfortunate situation that occurred during an incredibly stressful time for me and my former spouse and was ultimately resolved when she voluntarily dismissed her request for a protective order,” the 66-year-old emergency room doctor wrote on Instagram. “Together we crafted a resolution that was agreeable to both parties.”
“My ex-wife and I were married for 34 years and in that time had four children who we raised together and deeply love. They are my greatest accomplishment. My divorce was extremely difficult for me and led me to a very low point in my life and as a result I acted in a way that does not represent who I am.”
In September, reports surfaced that “Golden Bachelorette” contestant Gil Ramirez had a temporary restraining order filed against him right before filming for the series began.
Earlier in September, multiple outlets reported that Devin Strader, who got the final rose in the most recent season of “The Bachelorette,” previously had a temporary restraining order filed against him by a former girlfriend, per Entertainment Weekly.
The sudden influx of controversy throws the show’s vetting process into the spotlight. Here is a look at how contestants are selected and vetted before starring in the “Bachelor” franchise.
How do contestants get selected?
Getting selected to star as a contestant on any “Bachelor” show involves navigating a several-step process which involves background checks, in-person interviews and examinations, per the franchise’s official eligibility requirements.
Applicants must meet basic age requirements and be legal residents of either the United States or Canada. They must also be single.
The eligibility requirements on The Bachelor’s official website notes that all applicants “must never have been convicted of a felony or ever had a restraining order entered against them.”
If an applicant is selected to star in a “Bachelor” program, they must undergo a second round of vetting. Applicants are required to interview with producers in Los Angeles, where they also must “undergo physical, medical and psychological examinations and testing,” per the eligibility requirements.
As part of the vetting process, producers reach out to third-parties connected to the applicant such as family, friends and former significant others.
While speaking with third parties, producers may uncover information related to “physical appearance; personal characteristics/habits (both physical and mental); medical treatment/history (both physical and mental); sexual history; educational and employment history; military history; criminal investigations, charges and records; personal views and opinions about life, the world, politics, religion,” per the official eligibility requirements.
If an applicants meets eligibility requirements, they are cast in the series.
Does the Bachelor franchise run background checks?
Before being cast, potential “Bachelor” contestants undergo a background check. According to the series’ eligibility requirements, “all applicants must authorize Producer (ABC) to conduct a background check.”
In wake of reports about Devin Strader, a source close to the production said the vetting process is “exhaustive.”
“We take the safety of our contestants very seriously and make every effort to conduct thorough diligence. As exhaustive as our vetting process is, this protective order did not surface in our searches,” the source told Deadline.