"Bachelor" star Colton Underwood is engaged to political strategist Jordan C. Brown a year after coming out as gay.
Underwood confirmed the news to People, saying that it was not something he ever thought would be possible.
"After my birthday, Jordan and I went to Big Sur for a weekend getaway to decompress and relax in nature. I couldn't have pictured a more beautiful place to celebrate an amazing milestone in my life and relationship," Underwood said.
"I'm extremely happy! 2021 was the most transformative year of my life," he continued. "Starting 2022 off with my best friend, teammate and now fiancé is something I never thought was going to be possible."
Underwood and Brown both shared the news on their respective Instagram accounts Monday.
"Life is going to be fun with you," Underwood wrote while Brown posted a portrait of his new fiancé popping champagne. "The only time in my life I'm ok with wasting a bottle of champagne. I love you babe," he captioned the image.
Underwood was first introduced to the Bachelor Nation in 2018, as a contestant on Becca Kufrin's season of "The Bachelorette."
The following year he appeared as the lead on Season 23 of "The Bachelor," during which he gave his final rose to Cassie Randolph but chose not to propose to her. They continued to date after the season wrapped up, but announced their split in 2020. In April Underwood came out as gay during a "Good Morning America" interview.
"I've ran from myself for a long time. I've hated myself for a long time," he said. "And I'm gay. And I came to terms with that earlier this year and have been processing it. And the next step in all of this was sort of letting people know."
Underwood and Brown have been dating since the summer of 2021 and in December, Underwood opened up about his personal life in an interview with People.
"I wasn't really pursuing dating at first. But since then I found somebody and I am very much in love," Underwood said, adding that Brown was a "great support" and that he was "the luckiest person to have him in my life."
"I was struggling with my sexuality but I had such a level of fear over being gay," he continued. "Now that I've been out to myself for a year, it's the healthiest and happiest I've ever felt. And there is nothing I would ever want to be but gay."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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