ABC announced the cast for season 29 of The Bachelor on Tuesday, January 7, revealing the 25 women who will be competing for Grant Ellis’ heart. And as always, there’s plenty to unpack with the group headed to the Bachelor Mansion for a shot with the 31-year-old day trader who was eliminated during week 6 of Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette last year.
To start, Alexe, a 27-year-old pediatric speech therapist from Canada, “doesn’t do karaoke” — which could be an issue since Grant “can be found cheering on the Lakers, hitting strikes at the bowling alley, or belting out tunes at karaoke,” according to his bio. (Feels like a karaoke date is a no-brainer — don’t let Us down, ABC!)
Allyshia, a 29-year-old interior designer, is “a pumpkin spice season queen” who “drove a Barbie-pink Vespa in college” while Chloie, a 27-year-old model, “still sleeps with her baby blanket” and has “#NoShame.” Lawyer Dina, 31, is one of 11 siblings and will likely have a story line about dancing since one of her fun facts is “when asked what her favorite style of dance is, she says ‘Dina Dancing.’ #IYKYK.”
J’Nae, 28, has “a rose tattoo on her right forearm,” Litia, 31, “loves a good personality test” (is that like a Cosmo quiz?) and Radhika, 28, “is a self-proclaimed Harry Potter nerd.” Meanwhile, both Kelsey, 26, and Neicey, 32, have Kardashian references in their fun facts. (Neicey “would love an invite to the annual Kardashian Christmas party” and Kelsey “wants to study ‘empire building’ under Kris Jenner.”)
Sarafiena, 29, “has seen every episode of Grey’s Anatomy at least three times” (same, girl) and Vicky, 28, “is not herself without lip liner.”
The Bachelor returns to ABC Monday, January 27, at 8 p.m. ET. Keep reading to see the full cast:
Many expected Nikki Glaser to go full roast-mode at the 2025 Golden Globes, but the comedian is getting rave reviews from critics and viewers alike for her slightly tamer opening monologue.
Those fans of Glaser’s more savage jokes shouldn’t fear, however. While she wasn’t too brutal in the room at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 5, Glaser didn’t hold back when delivering the jokes that didn’t make the cut during an appearance on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show on Monday, January 6.
“The Golden Globes is the only show where you can see the biggest stars and movies and television joined together with the same goal — getting out of here tonight before Dax Shepard asked them to do his podcast,” Glaser began from the list of jokes she called the “Stern file,” which she worked on in the writer’s room. “This is the last time all of you will be in the same room together until the Diddy trial.”
Stern subsequently stopped Glaser because he couldn’t believe she didn’t make the joke about Diddy.
“We had another Diddy mention that works better and led us to more other jokes,” she replied, referring to her joke included in the broadcast; “Zendaya is here. Zendaya, you were incredible in Dune [2]. Oh, my God, I woke up for all of your scenes. You were so good. And Challengers, girl? It was so good. I mean, that movie was more sexually charged than Diddy’s credit card. “Oh, I’m upset too. The afterparty’s not going to be good this year. But, we have to move on. A Stanley Tucci freak-off just doesn’t have the same ring to it. No baby oil this year, just lots of olive oil.”
Talking to Stern, Glaser explained why she opted for the version of the joke she told on CBS: “But that [cut] one was so fun, and it was so nice to be like, ‘I’ll just tell it to Stern anyway.’ And that one you don’t want to do, because it’s like you’re accusing the people of that room of being involved in that, and they might turn on you.”
Keep scrolling for more wild jokes that Glaser opted not to perform at the Globes:
A Moment for Luigi Mangione
“Glen Powell is nominated tonight for Hit Man. Who would have thought that by the end of the year, you’d only be the second hottest hit man in America,” Glaser said before revealing, “And that one we didn’t do because people Luigi was a big deal for a while, and then it kind of faded and took a while for people to get it.”
Coming for the Catholic Church
“I love Conclave, and I think it’s about the cardinals choosing a new pope. And I think everyone should see it. It was so heartwarming. Honestly, it’ll touch you so much that the church will have to move it to another theater. Conclave is rated PG, bring the kids. They’ll love it. The Catholic Church will love it. Hot tip, you don’t need ID to get into the Conclave afterparty,” Glaser said, noting that she felt “Catholic Church pedophile jokes” are played out.
A Twist on the Adrien Brody Joke
“Oh, look, it’s two-time Holocaust survivor, Adrien Brody,” Glaser said during the show, but the original quip was more detailed. “If Adrian Brody could go back in time, he would thank baby Hitler for his career.” When Stern asked if he broke her heart that she couldn’t deliver that quip, Glaser explained that her assistant didn’t understand it.
“My assistant is Gen Z, and she was like, ‘I don’t get it.’ And we’re like, ‘Well, there’s this whole thing where you could, if you have a time machine, you go back and kill Hitler and you prevent the Holocaust.’ And so it’s like, oh, we’re gonna lose a whole demo of people that don’t know. And then I just said Hitler for nothing,” she said.
An ‘Only Murders’ Jab
“Only Murders in the Building is amazing. And I think it’s so cool that legends like Steve Martin, Martin Short, Meryl Streep, we’re still at it, putting up some of the best performances of their careers, and it’s so inspiring,” Glaser said. “And it just goes to show you, you are never too old to still need money. Guys, please don’t fightJake Paul, please don’t do it. Why are you still working so hard? Did you get caught up in Hawk Tuah girl’s crypto scheme?”
A Self-Deprecating Joke
“Amy Adams is nominated for her performance in Night Bitch, while I was totally snubbed for my performance in ‘Day Slut,’” Glaser, who is known for poking fun at herself in her sets. “The documentary category is tough, though, by the way, Night Bitch is what Diddy hears every evening before it lights out.”
A Nicole Kidman Gag
“The Wild Robot is nominated tonight. And by that, I mean Nicole Kidman after two white wines,” Glaser said, noting she wishes she could’ve told that joke but wasn’t sure of Kidman’s reaction. “If she makes a face, then … [but] I think she would have been cool with it.”
Back to Ben
Affleck seemed to be on the brain. “[I almost said], like, ‘Am I gonna roast or am I gonna toast? You know what? I’m not roasting. I’m gonna toast.’ And I just did all these toasts that were roasts. Like, ‘Here’s to Ben Affleck, I can’t wait to see which Jennifer you try to ruin next,’” Glaser said. “And I argued like, ‘Oh, I didn’t say ruin them. I said he tried to ruin them so it’s not against them.’ But I was like, ‘That would have been insane.’”
A Cocaine Quip
“Denzel Washington is here. The only thing that has convinced more middle aged men they could pull off an earring than Denzel Washington is cocaine. Kate Winslet is a lot like cocaine. She’s white. She’s always with Leonard DiCaprio, and I can’t wait to find her at the after party tonight,” Glaser said.
A More Savage Bob Dylan Joke
Glaser shared a different version of the Timothee Chalamet/Bob Dylan joke she told at the show. “To sound like Bob Dylan, Timothée Chalamet took years of vocal lessons because, apparently, that’s how long it takes to learn to smoke 40,000 cigarettes. Timothée took lessons in guitar, dialect movement and vocals to become Bob Dylan, while Bob Dylan became Bob Dylan the old-fashioned way – heroin and autism,” Glaser said, leading Stern to burst into laughter. “Undiagnosed, but come on now, a lot of songs about trains.”
‘Wicked’ x ‘Queer’
“Daniel Craig is nominated for his performance in Queer, which is a movie and not just what my uncle Chuckie calls Wicked,” she quipped.
She Spared Nic
“Nicolas Cage is here tonight looking well-rested after a night of sleeping in Elvis’s coffin,” Glaser said, leading to more laughs from Stern. “Nicolas Cage is here, and so is the band of skeletons that follows him playing Ragtime jazz.”
A ‘Rust’ Roast
“Please know that I know this is not nice,” Glaser began before launching into the joke: “Michael Keaton was so great in Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice and Alec Baldwin, sadly, did not come back to play a ghost because he was too busy making them.” She added that the joke was “too mean” and she didn’t want to “retraumatize” Baldwin.
A Tab Into Politics
“The film Anora is nominated for four awards tonight. It’s been called the most unflinching look at sex work since Matt Gaetz’s payment history,” Glaser joked.
A Final Blow
“Squid Games is a show where people starve themselves while ruthlessly competing for the ultimate prize. Oh, wait, no, sorry that’s this show,” she said. “I saw Joker 2 and, you know, it reminded me of when the first Joker came out and I was in the theaters and I was afraid someone was going to shoot it up. And then during Joker 2, I was really hoping they would.”
Mindy Kaling has been open about her health journey over the years.
Many fans met the comedian through her character on The Office, Kelly Kapoor, which debuted in 2005. In addition to recurring on screen, Kaling was in the writer’s room. During a season 5 episode, Kelly went on a diet inspired by Beyoncé — replacing meals with a cleanse that consists of lemons, cayenne pepper, water and maple syrup.
That same year, Kaling released her first book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? In the candid memoir, she wrote about creating a “makeshift diet formula” in high school after a classmate told her she would “be really pretty if you lost weight.” As a result, Kaling “would eat exactly half of what was put in front of me, and no dessert.”
The actress explained that she “stayed at a pretty normal weight until college” when she gained 35 pounds during the first six months of her freshman year. She dropped the weight by introducing exercise into her life but declared she would be “chubby for life” for four reasons: she has “no hobbies except dieting,” she has “no discipline,” men she’s “dated have been into me the way I am” and she’s “pretty happy with the way I look, so long as I don’t break a beach chair.”
Kaling’s new approach to wellness came after she navigated losing baby weight. She welcomed daughters Katherine and Anne in 2017 and 2024, respectively, and son Spencer in 2020.
Shortly after playing Bridget in the coming-of-age movie, Lively landed the role of Serena van der Woodsen on The CW’s Gossip Girl. The teen drama, which premiered in 2007, shot the actress to superstardom and her star has only risen in the decades since.
While the comedian made major headlines in May 2024 for her epic set at The Roast of Tom Brady, which streamed live on Netflix, it certainly wasn’t the first time she came for some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Glaser was also a force at Comedy Central roasts for Rob Lowe, Bruce Willis and Alec Baldwin. She’s since given insight into how she prepares for the big events, revealing she practices her jokes at stand-up sets for weeks leading up to the taping.
Glaser is taking the same approach for the 2025 Golden Globes, which she’ll host on January 5.
“I have I think nine shows between now and Sunday, because I want to keep testing out jokes and I want to keep getting the monologue in the [most] perfect place it can be,” Glaser told The Hollywood Reporter days before the ceremony. “Not every host does that. I’m lucky enough to be a comedian who can go and find these rehearsal spaces in front of a live audience, and I trust my audience members to not leak jokes or tell anyone. And we have enough jokes that even if they do, I’ll be OK.”
From Brady to Cybill Shepherd to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, keep reading for some of Glaser’s most savage jokes over the years:
Jewel
“Jewel is here, so as I call her, Trailer Swift. Jewel, I do not want to badmouth you since God already did. … Your teeth are like the Spice Girls, they’re all different colors and doing their own things.” (Roast of Rob Lowe)
Peyton Manning
“I love you in commercials. I’d say you’re the greatest of all time. You’re like the Tom Brady of commercials. Like, the greatest.” (Roast of Rob Lowe)
Rob Lowe
“Rob defies age … restrictions. God, I had such a crush on you when I was a little girl. If only I had known that’s when I had my best shot.” (Roast of Rob Lowe)
Martha Stewart
“Martha Stewart, shank you for being here . … I’m a huge fan and my mom is an even bigger fan. My mom has learned everything from Martha Stewart, including cooking, cleaning, and withholding affection.” (Roast of Bruce Willis)
“He’s so cute, so adorable. I bet you eat p—y, but only with the crust cut off first. Isn’t that his look? Speaking of crusty p—-y, I’ll get to you in a second, Cybill.” (Roast of Bruce Willis)
Cybill Shepherd
“Cybill’s gorgeous. I’m, like, honored to meet her. Her resume is insane — model, actor, singer, you name it. She’s f—-ed it.” (Roast of Bruce Willis)
Bruce Willis
“Your daughters must be so proud of their father … Ashton Kutcher.” (Roast of Bruce Willis)
Caitlyn Jenner
“You are such an incredible athlete. People forget just how fast you once ran … from your first family to go be on a reality show. Seriously, I know being a new mom is hard, but even Casey Anthony knows the current location of her daughter.” (Roast of Alec Baldwin)
Blake Griffin
“Blake, you look like a Black guy that got made by a printer running out of ink. Yeah. Chris Redd is here because Comedy Central wasn’t sure if Blake was Black or not.” (Roast of Alec Baldwin)
Alec Baldwin
“Alec Baldwin, what an honor to be here roasting Justin Bieber’s wife’s oldest, fattest uncle. I’ll never forget that voicemail when you called your daughter Ireland a thoughtless little pig. It’s got to be one of the worst things you can call your daughter — after Ireland, actually. That name, yikes.” (Roast of Alec Baldwin)
Kevin Hart
“No one works harder than this man. Do you know that every morning Kevin wakes up at 4 a.m. to make a shitty movie? No, I love your movies. Or as I call them ‘short films.’ No, I’m kidding. I hate them. No, sorry, Kevin, I don’t mean to belittle you, but you ‘be little,’ man. Like, you’re a tiny guy. Kevin is 5’2’’, 150 pounds. Um, 155 after The Rock finishes.” (Roast of Tom Brady)
“But let’s get to the reason we’re all here tonight. Uh, Drew Bledsoe. ‘Drew bled so Tom could run.’ But I’m gonna move on from you, just like your team did after you almost died.” (Roast of Tom Brady)
Tom Brady
“Tom Brady, five-time Super Bowl MVP, most career wins, most career touchdowns, you have seven rings. … Well, eight now that Gisele gave hers back, but … Tom, the only thing dumber than you saying yes to this roast was when you said, ‘Hey, babe, you should try jujitsu.’” (Roast of Tom Brady)
“I mean, you’re the best to ever play for too long. I mean … you retired, then you came back, and then you retired again. I get it. Hard to walk away from something that’s not your pregnant girlfriend. Hey. To be fair, he didn’t know she was pregnant. He just thought she was getting fat.” (Roast of Tom Brady)
Rob Gronkowski
“Tom also lost $30 million in crypto. Tom, how did you fall for that? I mean, even Gronk was like, ‘Me know that not real money.’” (Roast of TomBrady)
Ben Affleck
While Affleck wasn’t present at the 2025 Golden Globes, Glaser gave him a shout-out in her opening monologue.
“Tonight, we celebrate the best of film and hold space for television,” she said. “Yes, Wicked, Queer, Nightbitch: These are not just words Ben Affleck yells after he orgasms. These are some of the incredible movies nominated tonight.”
“Zendaya, you were incredible in Dune [2]. Oh, my God, I woke up for all of your scenes. You were so good,” Glaser told the actress. “And Challengers, girl? It was so good. I mean, that movie was more sexually charged than Diddy’s credit card.”
She added, “Oh, I’m upset too. The afterparty’s not going to be good this year. But, we have to move on. A Stanley Tucci freak-off just doesn’t have the same ring to it. No baby oil this year, just lots of olive oil.”
Benny Blanco
During the 2025 Golden Globes that January, Glaser congratulated Blanco on proposing to Selena Gomez one month earlier.
“Benny Blanco is here because of the genie who granted him that wish,” she quipped. “Man, lucky guy!”
Gomez was seen pointing up at the stage in response
The actor and the TLC singer, whose real name is Rozonda Thomas, started seeing each other romantically in November 2022, three months after her rep told Us Weekly that they were “just friends” when they stepped out together in Hawaii. By the New Year, the twosome were “in love.”
“I made it through the year that did everything it could to try and break me, and there were a lot of moments where I thought I would break, but here I AM,” the dancer wrote on December 31. “2022 was a year filled with the most ups, downs & heartbreak (if I’m being honest) that I have ever experienced, but I wouldn’t be who or where I am today without those life experiences … I’m eager to move forward, to no longer be defined by my past, and SO ready to start the next chapter of my life. 2023, LET’S SHOW ‘EM HOW IT’S DONE!”
Scroll through for Chilli and Lawrence’s relationship timeline:
Garrett got engaged to Kufrin during the season 14 finale in 2018, but by 2020 there was trouble in paradise. Kufrin announced that September that the pair called it quits after Garrett made waves for his controversial comments about “Blue Lives Matter” after George Floyd’s death.
Garrett bounced back later that year after meeting now-wife Alex. The pair tied the knot in November 2023 on Oahu. Us Weekly exclusively revealed in January 2025 that Alex is pregnant with the couple’s first baby.
“Immediately I got super giddy. I was pumped up,” Garrett gushed to Us at the time. “She ran over, and she’s like, ‘Oh, my God, can you believe it?’ I was like, ‘No way,’ because I was thinking, like, that happened so fast.”
Scroll through for a timeline of Garrett and Alex’s relationship from the start:
After Cooper tweeted that he was “appalled by the photo shoot,” calling it “clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate,” the network cut ties with Griffin.
Cooper continued to keep the coverage light by teaming up with pal Andy Cohen as his official cohost for the 2017-18 broadcast — and the twosome began their tradition of taking shots to celebrate the show.
A few years later, Cohen made headlines during the 2021-22 broadcast when he threw shade at Mayor Bill de Blasio and Ryan Seacrest. The outburst resulted in an alcohol ban for one year for both Cooper and Cohen.
Scroll through for the most-talked-about moments from the broadcast over the years:
Eight years after filing to legally end their relationship, Brad Pittand Angelina Jolie have settled their divorce.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, signed off on their divorce on Monday, December 30, Us Weekly confirmed.
“More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt. She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family,” Jolie’s lawyer James Simon told Us in a statement. “This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.”
Pitt and Jolie were together for a decade before they exchanged vows in August 2014. Two years later, Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016 after two years of marriage and a decade as a couple, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. They share six kids: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne. Jolie’s rep said at the time that she filed for divorce “for the health of the family.” Pitt was later investigated by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services regarding an incident with their eldest son on a plane. Although the allegations — which Pitt has denied — were investigated by the FBI, no charges were brought against the actor.
The exes have been declared legally single since November 2019, but have been battling it out in court over custody issues and their French winery, Château Miraval.
In November, Jolie took a major step forward in her ongoing legal feud with Pitt when ajudge tentatively ruled that the actor must turn over documents and communications that Jolie claimed would prove that he covered up alleged domestic violence against her and their children.
“I want to again emphasize that Angelina never wanted any of this. She never pressed charges, she left all their properties, and she is the one who tried to sell him the business in the first place,” Jolie’s attorney Paul Murphy exclusively told Us in a statement at the time. “To this day, Mr. Pitt has never been held accountable for his actions and has at all times controlled Miraval and the winery, yet he still demands more.”
The statement concluded: “She wants this to end, the children want this to end, and Mr. Pitt should focus on healing their family,not pursuing lawsuits. If he does not, Angelina will defend herself in court by presenting the evidence necessary to demonstrate that Pitt’s allegations are demonstrably false.”
A source close to Pitt exclusively told Us later that month that the ruling was “mostly irrelevant because he has provided so much information already.”
Jolie and Pitt have also continued to fight over Miraval throughout this past year, which is not connected to their divorce proceedings. The legal battle over the $164 million French estate and winery began in February 2022 when Pitt filed a lawsuit against her claiming she illegally sold her shares of Château Miraval. Pitt claimed that he and Jolie previously agreed they could only sell their shares with each other’s approval.
In November, Us confirmed that a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the Château Miraval case heading to trial — and Pitt’s remaining claims against Jolie have been allowed to proceed. The judge upheld that Pitt has sufficiently alleged a contract regarding shares in the holding company, and Pitt’s claims were valid on two counts of interference. The update came after a judge previously shut down Jolie’s attempts to have the case tossed.
The Southern Charm star and the Summer House personality crossed paths while starring on their respective Bravo shows. “I met Craig, actually, three years ago and he was single. I had a boyfriend, and I absolutely respected that I was in a relationship,” DeSorbo exclusively told Us Weekly in October 2021, referring to ex Perry Rahbar.
While they initially struck up a friendship, DeSorbo and Conover spent more time together in 2021 when they filmed Winter House — but never crossed the line. Conover was dating Natalie Hegnauer at the time, but the pair called it quits not long after he wrapped the crossover series.
Conover confirmed he was single in May 2021. Things between him and DeSorbo were on by the summer, per insiders, and by the fall, the twosome were officially dating.
“We actually love long-distance,” DeSorbo told Us in October 2021. “I feel like we’re more present with each other when we are together.”
After three years together, DeSorbo confirmed their split in December 2024, saying on “The Giggly Squad” podcast, “I love him, I think he loves me. I think we will remain friends. No one did anything. It wasn’t a bad thing. I think we both were just being really mature and saying what we want and what we didn’t want, and I think that’s extremely powerful to be able to voice how you’re feeling in real time and what you want for your future.”
Scroll through for a complete timeline of their relationship:
More than two decades after The Bachelor premiered, the franchise still never fails to deliver plenty of headlines.
The year began with 5.22 million fans tuning in to see The Golden Bachelor stars Gerry Turner and Theresa Nistexchange vows live on ABC on January 4, with more than 50 Bachelor and Bachelorette alums in attendance. Three months later, they called it quits — but they weren’t the only ones.
Also in January, news broke that season 13 Bachelorette couple Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolohad filed for divorce after four years of marriage. Things between the pair quickly got messy, with Bryan seeking large amounts of spousal support and Rachel claiming she found out he took legal action via text.
It wasn’t all wilted roses in 2024, however. Season 28 Bachelor Joey Graziadei won the hearts of Bachelor Nation and now-fiancée Kelsey Anderson. The proof was in the numbers as Joey’s season was one of the most-watched in years (outside of Gerry’s season) and Joey and Kelsey both gained large Instagram followings (Joey is just shy of 1 million and Kelsey hovers around 827,000) just as it seemed like the reality show wasn’t breeding influencers like it used to.
OG Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos also got engaged in 2024, accepting a ring from Chock Chapple during the November finale. It’s still early for the duo, but all signs point to a long engagement (in comparison to Theresa and Gerry) and plans to make it work.
Keep scrolling for more of the biggest Bachelor Nation moments of the year — plus, what they could mean for the future of the franchise:
Gerry and Theresa’s Wedding, Divorce and Revelations
Gerry and Theresa announced their breakup on Good Morning America in April. At the time, distance was mostly cited as the cause for their divorce as they struggled to agree on where to live despite plans to relocate to Charleston. Fans later learned in December that Gerry had been diagnosed with an incurable cancer shortly after the wedding, which he told People “had a huge bearing on my decisions and I think probably Theresa’s as well.” Theresa denied that she broke up with Gerry because he was sick, but acknowledged that his decision not to leave Indiana affected their marriage.
Takeaway: After getting invested in the senior franchise, some fans were quick to write it off because of Gerry and Theresa’s whirlwind divorce. While their love story still came to an early end, learning about Gerry’s health battle, which began weeks into the marriage and only months after they met on the show, changed things for Us.
Joey and Kelsey’s Love Story
While runner-up Daisy Kent appeared to be the front-runner for Joey’s heart, there’s now no denying that we all fell for some classic editing tricks as Joey and Kelsey got engaged during the March finale and are still going strong.
Takeaway: Love isn’t completely dead in Bachelor Nation! In addition to giving fans something solid to root for, Joey and Kelsey made it through his stint on Dancing With the Stars with a mirrorball trophy and their relationship intact despite the dancing competition often coinciding with Bachelor Nation couples calling it quits. Kelsey’s open communication with fans — a.k.a asking them to stop trying to make it seem like something weird was happening between Joey and his married partner, Jenna Johnson — definitely helped too.
Bonus takeaway:It’s time to take a closer look at the numbers in 2025. Gerry and Joey both proved that the franchise is still popular — or at least can be — but the ratings for Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette and Joan’s season of The Golden Bachelorette didn’t quite compare. Historically, the male-lead seasons bring in more fans, so all signs from this year prove that the franchise isn’t going anywhere.
Rachel and Bryan’s Messy Breakup
Bryan filed for divorce on January 2, citing their date of separation as December 31, 2023. He later revealed that the pair had been sleeping in separate rooms for months and were in counseling. Rachel, for her part, opted to stay quiet — at least at first. During an appearance on The View in December, she noted she saw “signs” that things might not work out between them even before they wed. “But as women, we’re fixers and we think that we can figure it out. They’re a challenge to us!” she said. “But eventually I saw it more. I would say within two years, and we were married for four and a half.”
Takeaway: Everything is not what it seems … unless it is? During their relationship, Rachel said several times that the lack of Instagram posts shared by the twosome wasn’t a sign of trouble. Bryan basically said the opposite in his tell-all interview in July. “We didn’t spend enough time with each other. I mean, in my estimation, we saw what the other person was doing in the relationship, mainly on Instagram, although we lived in the same house,” he claimed.
Bonus takeaway: Get another job? We didn’t say it, the judge did! Bryan — who claimed his annual income is $16,000 after he was forced to relocate for Rachel’s career — scored a major legal win over the summer when a judge ordered Rachel to pay the chiropractor over $13,200 a month in temporary spousal support. The court also ruled that the support should end in March 2026, advising Bryan to pursue more work and not rely on Rachel. The court battle is set to rage on into 2025.
Jenn’s Journey Jenn Tran made history as the first-ever Asian lead in the franchise, but wasn’t necessarily given a fair chance by some fans who were rooting for Daisy or Joey’s other fan-favorite Maria Georgas to get the gig. The season was soured again when her winner, Devin Strader, broke up with her shortly after production wrapped despite accepting a proposal from Jenn (never forget, she was the one to propose to him!) Things started looking up for Jenn when she landed a last-minute spot on DWTS (and a position on Us’ Reality Stars of the Year list) and a new love interest in dance partner Sasha Farber.
Takeaway: Let people show their own true colors. It was heartbreaking to watch Jenn cry over a less-than-remorseful Devin at After the Final Rose — especially watching the twosome relive their proposal live in front of a studio audience. Devin, feeling like he was made out to be the bad boy of Bachelor Nation, subsequently opted to release hundreds of his and Jenn’s private text messages to prove … well, we still don’t know what he was trying to convince Us of, tbh. In the end, he looked worse and Jenn cha-cha’d her way to 600,000 Instagram followers, several more weeks of TV time on DWTS and a showmance-turned-romance with Sasha.
No ‘BiP’
Outside of 2020 (because of Covid-19), 2024 was the first year the beaches of Mexico were closed since Bachelor in Paradise debuted in 2014. While several crossover duos still formed — remember when Christina Mandrell and Brayden Bowers got engaged during the aforementioned Golden Wedding? — this break allowed Us to get excited when the spinoff does return in 2025 as ABC already confirmed the show will be back.
Takeaway: We miss it! Yes, Love Island USA season 6 was one of the best seasons of summer TV in history, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get invested in BiP, too. The back-and-forth of Susie Evans and Justin Glaze’s romance would have carried the season alone. Plus, we’ve still got several single stars from Joey’s season who we are begging to have back on our TV screens.
Joan and Chock Get Engaged
Two-time Us Weekly cover star Joan accepted a Neil Lane sparkler from Chock during the November finale, giving hope that the Golden franchise could create happy endings after all. With the twosome spending the holidays as a blended family and looking to split their time between mutual location NYC, Joan’s house in Maryland and Chock’s homebase in Kansas, they might be the modern fairytale the show needs to create chatter for any Golden seasons in 2025.
Takeaway: Could The Golden Bachelorette revive the idea that the female leads have more success than the male leads? Just like the OG Bachelorette Trista Sutter back in 2003, Joan could be the first Golden Bachelorette to wed. And in the heyday of the franchise, there was a run of female leads who appeared to have cracked the code with season 11’s Kaitlyn Bristowe, season 12’s JoJo Fletcher, season 13’s Rachel and season 14’s Becca Kufrin all having long-term relationships outside of the show. Yes, we know only JoJo is still with her final rose winner (shout-out Jordan Rodgers!), but it was one of the more successful streaks in franchise history.
The Restraining Orders Us can’t ignore that there were three different legal cases against contestants unearthed across two seasons in 2024. Bachelorette season 21 Devin’s ex had filed a restraining order against him in 2017, The Golden Bachelorette’s Gil Ramirez was accused of stalking an ex and The Golden Bachelorette runner-up Guy Gansert’s ex-wife had once taken legal action against him, later voluntarily dismissing her request for a protective order.
Takeaway: All three situations are different, but it certainly feels like the current setup for background checks needs to be reevaluated to protect the leads.
Grant Ellis Is Named the New Bachelor
ABC named Grant, one of Jenn’s contestants, the season 29 lead shortly after his week six elimination. While there’s no denying Grant has got the looks to lead a season, some fans were confused by the franchise making the announcement when they did. This isn’t the first time this has happened, however, with season 26 star Clayton Echard seemingly being plucked out of nowhere in the middle of Michelle Young’s season. While season 27 Zach Shallcrosss was announced in a more traditional manner (AFR), viewers had deemed him boring before even watching a second of the season. If you ask Us, both Clayton and Zach delivered wildly entertaining seasons — not to mention Zach and winner Kaity Bigger are still together — but there’s no denying that season 28 lead Joey was the most popular lead in a long time.
Takeaway: The jury is obviously still out, but based on the trailer, Grant’s season could break the random Bachelor pick curse and continue the momentum Joey brought?! Stay tuned for the 2025 Bachelor Nation recap to find out.
At the risk of sounding like a Real Housewives tagline, when Andy Cohen talks, people listen. That’s true when he hosts Watch What Happens Live and the Bravo reunions, and it’s especially true for his SiriusXM show, where he has time to dig into everything from Wicked to Bravolebrity brouhahas.
“There are things I say that the viewers disagree with,” Cohen, 56, tells Us from his Andy Cohen Live studio in NYC. “There was a moment early in Vanderpump Rules where I said [on the radio], ‘Lala [Kent] is the voice of reason this season.’ People played that clip for months on end and were all over me.”
During the daily broadcast on Radio Andy (channel 102, 10 a.m.), Cohen and cohost John Hill — also his ex-boyfriend, more on that later — “generate a lot of pop culture news,” he says. “And we also reflect on it. Whatever’s going on in pop culture, it will be dissected here.” And at Andy Cohen Live, that often means the latest in the Bravo universe.
Cohen is the first to acknowledge it can be tricky to navigate giving his frank take while wearing so many hats in reality TV (he also produces the Housewives franchise). “Sometimes I mess up, but I think I have a good sense,” Cohen says, adding, “[Radio] is also a place I talk more often as a producer than I do anywhere else. It’s a great opportunity for me to give background and explain further my point of view.”
The people he discusses on-air might respond in the media — or they might even respond directly. “I remember Teresa [Giudice] called me about something I said, but I was like, ‘Teresa, did you hear the clip? Let me explain,’” Cohen recalls of the Real Housewives of New Jersey star. “And she was like, ‘Oh, my God, I get the context now.’”
On December 2, he addressed VPR again, telling listeners: “Bravo announced, or word got out, that they are revamping the show, and I have to say, this is, first of all, the absolute right thing to do.” No, he’s not a producer on that particular show, but fans looked to him — as did a slew of celebrities. Without naming names, he confirmed his phone blew up when news broke of the season 12 recasting. “[The response was] mainly sadness and, ‘Oh, my God,’” he says. “Then I have to say, ‘Look, it’s how it needs to be.’”
How does it feel to see his opinions be sought after and passed along? “If it’s a good headline, I’m happy about it. If it’s a bad headline, I’m annoyed by it just like anyone else,” Cohen says. “We have a lot of airtime. [Often] it’s just John and I talking. Anything that could be said could wind up either making a headline or [laughs] coming back to bite me.”
The secret sauce to Andy Cohen Live just might be cohost Hill. “I can’t think of too many exes that host something together — Sonny and Cher hosted after they got divorced — but I think it’s interesting for the listener to hear John absolutely shading me,” Cohen admits. “Or he totally knocks me down in a way that no one else would go there. Even Jeff Lewis.”
And when Hill gets into his own Housewives feuds — most recently exchanging in a back-and-forth with former RHOC star Kelly Dodd — Cohen lets him fight his own battles. “That was between John and she. I sat it out and he quickly apologized,” he said. “At Radio Andy, I’m just proud of everybody in the family for what each person has built, because they’ve all kind of come to this with their own personality and point of view. And they’ve all built their own followings and their own little universes on the channel.”
Ah, back to Jeff Lewis — another personality under the Radio Andy umbrella on SiriusXM. His remarks on Jeff Lewis Live have become storylines on several Bravo series this year, including The Real Housewives of Orange County and The Real Housewives of New York City, which Cohen acknowledges plays a part in why the shows now break the fourth wall.
“It’s wild that the tentacles of the Housewives have reached him, and he’s reached into the show,” Cohen says of the “outspoken” and “provocative” host. So outspoken that Lewis hears from his boss? Not unless Cohen wants to be part of that storyline too. “It will take a lot for me to get involved because I’ve been burned,” he says. “He’s read my messages on the air!”
There’s also Dorinda Medley, the only former Housewife on the channel. “I wouldn’t have done it if she was still on the Housewives. It would’ve created some potential issues,” Cohen says. “She’s got a very unique perspective. She’s been in the game. She’s also a fan. She’s very savvy. She’s opinionated, so she works on a bunch of levels.”
Outside of the Bravo universe, Radio Andy features talent like newswoman Gayle King, who “brings a totally legit perspective on pop culture to radio,” Cohen says; actress Sandra Bernhard; the Smith sisters (“they disseminate pop culture is unlike anything else”) and perhaps the most popular addition to the team of late, social media influencer Tinx. “When Tinx is on, the phone lines are absolutely jammed. She gives the best relationship advice — people really want to hear from her,” Cohen says. (Us witnessed the calls rolling in before Tinx’s broadcast had even started.) Time to make your own headlines, Tinx!
Hey, Mr. DJ
While music is part of Andy Cohen Live — just three minutes before going to air during Us’ visit, Cohen confirms to his producer that “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin is the choice to bring in that particular Wednesday’s show — it’s the main event on his separate SiriusXM channel, Andy Cohen’s Kiki Lounge. “During Covid, I spent many nights searching for my most perfect 600 or so songs,” he tells Us. “They are just songs that touch me, songs I have a story about [and] songs that have affected me in my life.”
Song He Can’t Get Enough Of: Cohen adds and subtracts from the Kiki Lounge lineup “all the time.” His latest obsession: Troye Sivan’s “One of Your Girls.”
Song He Overdid: Should Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” stay in 2024? “It’s a great song but such an annoying earworm at this point.”
Song of the Summer: “I was a brat this summer,” Cohen happily declares, referencing the title track of Charli XCX’s critical fave. “I love that album.”
Song for the Holidays: Cohen’s preferred classic tune is “Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses, but he’s also a sucker for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” telling Us as a fact: “Mariah is everyone’s queen of Christmas.”
Song His Kids Make Him Listen To: Son Ben, 5, “loves ‘Life Is a Highway’ from Cars,” Cohen reveals. Asked whether he feels the same way about the Rascal Flatts cover from the 2006 animated film, he simply replies, “No.”
Song That Makes Him Cry: Coldplay’s “Warning Song” can still put him in his feels as he considers it his “breakup song” from cohost Hill.
Song That’s a Hit With the Family: Cohen beams as he reports Ben and daughter Lucy, 2, are on board with his devotion to Madonna, naming “Hung Up” as the family’s No. 1 song. But when they’re stuck in traffic (as often documented on Cohen’s Instagram Stories), his go-to is the Grateful Dead.
It wouldn’t be a Hallmark Channel movie without chemistry between the two leads … and sometimes the love isn’t just onscreen!
Three years after Carlos and Alexa PenaVegawed in 2014, they starred in the made-for-TV film Enchanted Christmas. The pair have gone on to costar in their own Hallmark Movies & Mysteries franchise, Picture Perfect Mysteries.
Eric Winter and Roselyn Sanchez, who tied the knot in 2008, collaborated on Hallmark’s A Taste of Summer in 2019.
“We had a blast but our process is very different. This was a lighthearted romantic comedy, so there was no point in us being all crazy serious. I goof around on set and have fun with everybody,” Winter exclusively told Us Weekly at the time. “Roselyn was so serious. I was looking at her like, ‘Why do you look like you want to kill me? We’re working together, we’re supposed to be falling in love!’”
The couple met and started dating in 2013. As their relationship progressed, the TV personality was often asked whether she wanted to walk down the aisle again. Kotb was previously married to Burzis Kanga from 2005 to 2008. After Kotb adopted daughter Haley in 2017, questions about her future with Schiffman continued. In January 2018, she told Ellen DeGeneres that they “might” tie the knot.
“I feel like everything’s great. He’s Haley’s dad. I’m Haley’s mom. We’re together,” she said at the time. “I feel like there’s not a rush other than we’re old, and we probably — if we’re going to do it, we might as well do it. But I think it’s fun like this. I don’t mind it. … We’re enjoying our lives. Yeah, I think we’re good this way.”
“Joel and I have had a lot of prayerful and really meaningful conversations over the holidays, and we decided that we’re better as friends and parents than we are as an engaged couple,” she told Today viewers in January 2022. “So we decided that we are going to start this new year and begin it kind of on our new path as loving parents to our adorable, delightful children, and as friends.”
Scroll through for a timeline of their relationship:
After forming and finishing in third place on the U.K.’s version of The X Factor in 2010, One Direction released four successful studio albums — Up All Night, Take Me Home, Midnight Memories and Four. Following five years as a group, however, Malik was the first to leave the band, announcing his departure in March 2015.
The lawyer first appeared on season 18 of The Bachelor, which aired in 2014. After she (infamously) dumped Juan Pablo Galavis during the fantasy suite dates, Dorfman was named the season 10 Bachelorette. During her season, she picked Josh Murray over runner-up Nick Viall.
Five months after the finale aired, Dorfman confirmed the end of their engagement in February 2015. Dorfman, however, eventually found The One in Hart, whom she initially met through a mutual friend 15 years before they got together in 2021.
Not all Real Housewives give up their diamonds — or peaches/apples — for good. Bethenny Frankel, NeNe Leakes and Dina Manzo are among the ladies who left their respective franchises only to return years later.
While Bethenny, NeNe and Dina all returned in a full-time role, other women, including Camille Grammerand Danielle Staub, made their second mark on the Real Housewives franchise in a friend role.
Brandi Glanville, who left RHOBH after season 5 in 2015, made a brief appearance the following season. The controversial Housewife is also appeared on season 9 of the franchise in 2019.
While Kim Richards, the sister of Kyle Richards, pops in and out of RHOBH, she has yet to return full-time following her season 5 departure. During season 9, the other women ran into the former child star while out to dinner in Beverly Hills. While Kyle embraced her sister onscreen, Lisa Rinnaavoided interacting with her former costar.
“At the end of every season, we talk to the women about what they have coming up and whether they want to come back. What they see for the future. Then we also look at the show and say, ‘How do we want to change the show?’” he said. “I think part of the reason the entire franchise is successful is it’s an ensemble show. It’s all about what’s best for the group. What’s best for the ensemble? How’s it going to be different? Do we want to continue this conversation? Do we want to pivot into a new conversation?”
One of the biggest returning players in recent seasons is Heather Dubrow, who left RHOC after starring on seasons 7 through 11. News broke in 2021 that she would be back in a full-time role for season 16.
“It just is a testament to kind of everything at the right time,” Andy said on the “Heather Dubrow’s World” podcast in June 2021. “I think the viewers want it, the show is at a crossroads right now, we have some rebuilding to do. … I think when you left the show you were at a place where you were really over it. You just weren’t into it. It just goes to show that you could, years later, just have the perspective to be like, ‘You know what? Maybe I can handle this in a different way.’ … I love your attitude about coming back.”
Tell Us Weekly: Who else should make a comeback on their respective series? Plus, scroll through for a complete list of the Real Housewives who returned full-time or in a “friend” role:
Being a Real Housewife isn’t all diamonds and rosé — just ask the many Bravolebrities who’ve legal woes have played out in the spotlight.
While some franchises tackle the lawsuits on air — including Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Teresa and Joe Giudice’s fraud case, Real Housewives of New York City’s Sonja Morgan’s bankruptcy filing and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Erika Jayne’s estranged husband’s embezzlement lawsuit— other stars try to keep the courtroom proceedings off air. Dorit Kemsley, for instance, was confronted by her RHOBH castmates over claims that she allegedly owed her former business partner money, but the drama never made it to air. Onlookers’ videos of the incident, however, went viral online.
“Obviously it happened, it’s all over the Internet,” Kemsley told Andy Cohen in 2019 while reflecting on the “embarrassing” confrontation caught on tape. “I was grateful that the other ladies didn’t bring it up this season. … I’m very comfortable with our position, but unfortunately my hands are tied. You can’t discuss legal issues when they are going on and I respect that.”
Keep scrolling for more of the Real Housewives’ biggest legal dramas throughout the years:
In light of Aaron Rodgers comments about The Bachelorette on his new Netflix docuseries, allow Us to present a quick Bachelor Nation history lesson (or refresh).
The year was 2016, and JoJo Fletcher was handing out roses after Ben Higgins broke her heart by picking Lauren Bushnell despite telling both of his final two that he loved them. JoJo, then 25, quickly bounced back and fell hard for one of her season 12 contestants with a famous last name — Jordan Rodgers.
While the season featured some men that would go on to be big names in Bachelor Nation like Wells Adams, Evan Bass and bad boy Chad Johnson, the fighting for JoJo’s heart was less of a competition and more of a debate on whether Jordan, then 27, was there for “the right reasons.” Stories popped up all over the internet questioning if Jordan was just looking for fame (and a job as a football broadcaster) and his ex-girlfriend accused him of being a cheater, which he denied repeatedly. (It feels important to note now that JoJo and Jordan ended up being one of the rare Bachelorette success stories, tying the knot in 2022 after taking the time to get to know each other post-show. And he did land a gig as an SEC commentator, which ended up being a natural fit!)
It’s safe to say there was plenty of chatter around Jordan — and concerns for America’s sweetheart JoJo as she fell head over heels for him — but the biggest story line at the time was the revelation that Aaron was estranged from parents Ed and Darla and brothers Jordan and Luke. Jordan’s hometown date really put a spotlight on the drama.
“He comes from such an amazing family with so much love and so much character, but sitting down at that table, there’s two empty seats and I know they probably wish Aaron was sitting at one of them,” JoJo told the ABC cameras. “It’s hard because, like, that’s Jordan’s brother. That’s Luke’s brother. That’s Ed and Darla’s son. I have no idea nor could I even imagine why Aaron wouldn’t want to be a part of their lives.”
JoJo subsequently sat down with Luke, the eldest Rodgers son, and told him that she thinks Jordan “really misses” Aaron but doesn’t like to talk about it.
“It’s something we don’t like to talk about a whole lot,” Luke replied. “It pains both of us, like, not to have that relationship. We miss our brother. I trust that God brings things full circle and I also wish that everything would get back to us being a family. I’m impressed Jordan shared those things with you because I don’t think he would’ve if he didn’t care.”
After the dinner, Jordan reflected on Aaron’s absence in a confessional.
“It would’ve been nice to share JoJo with not only my parents and my brother Luke, but, you know, Aaron as well,” Jordan said. “I miss my brother a lot especially in moments like this because my family means so much. JoJo’s everything to me right now and they know that.”
At the time, Aaron told reporters that he wasn’t watching the show but wished his brother “luck in the competition,” which was taken as a major dig at JoJo and Jordan’s love story. Aaron Rodgers: Enigma marked the first time that the NFL quarterback spoke about the show and hometown date in depth. After revealing that he and Jordan started having issues in high school (seemingly related to football as Jordan tried to follow in his brother’s footsteps), Aaron went off.
“I thought the best way to do it was just don’t talk about it publicly. And what do they do? They go on a bulls— show and leave two empty chairs,” Aaron told Netflix cameras. “They all agreed this was a good thing to do, to leave two empty chairs at a stupid dating show that my brother just went on to get famous — his words, not mine. That he ended up winning, But a dinner that was during the season, I was never asked to go to. Not that I would’ve gone.”
Jordan has yet to respond to Aaron’s diss, and based on previous actions, it’s unlikely he will. Despite the dig, Aaron did claim that the door on a reconciliation wasn’t closed.
“People ask me, ‘Is there hope for reconciliation?’ I say, ‘Yeah of course. Of course,’” Aaron said.“I don’t want them to fail, to struggle, to have any strife or issues. I don’t wish any ill will on them at all. It’s more like this — we’re just different steps on a timeline of our own journeys.”
Ahead of Andy Cohen’s Fresca Mixed holiday happy hour at Magic Hour Elephant Lounge on Monday, December 16, Us Weekly asked the Bravo boss when there would be an update on RHONJ (so we could stop asking him for one!).
“You’re not gonna get it for, like, a year, so everyone stop asking,” he told Us. “And I keep saying you are going to get nothing, so stop asking!”
Season 14 of RHONJ, which finished airing in August 2024, starred OG Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania, Jennifer Aydin, Margaret Josephs, Rachel Fuda, Danielle Cabrael and “friends” Jackie Goldschneider and Jennifer Fessler. In addition to sisters-in-law Teresa and Melissa refusing to film together after a decade-long feud, the season was so divided that the reunion was canceled, leaving Dolores as the only cast member who didn’t have issues with anyone on the show.
“I’m a realistic pessimist, so I’m just being very Italian and being like, ‘Ah, it’s over. It’s done.’ But I say that every year,” Dolores told Us last month about what she thinks will happen to RHONJ. “I, every year, thought I was never coming back. That’s just me being, if you want to say humble, if that’s how you want to call it. Or not taking it for granted.”
Cohen previously said that the network and production company is “taking our time” when it comes to planning what’s next.
“We are in no rush. We’re really gratified with what’s on the slate for next year,” Cohen said on his SiriusXM show in November. “[For instance], the new Atlanta, which I’m seven episodes in of watching, it’s outstanding. I’m so excited for people to see this, and they’re going to see it early next year.”
Speaking of the new year, Cohen will ring in 2025 on CNN with BFF Anderson Cooper — and with Fresca Mixed by his side.
“One of the reasons I love Fresca Mixed is not only because I’ve been drinking Fresca with tequila for many years, famously — I think I gave them the idea, but that’s fine — I also love it because it’s easy and they have a ton of flavors,” he said. “Your guests [at a NYE party will] feel totally taken care of and they’re like, ‘Wow, you have mango citrus, you have tequila Paloma.’ And it’s like, ‘Yeah, I have whatever you want!'”
He added, “It’s easy. It tastes great. And your guests will love it.”
For more from Cohen, read his full Bravo breakdown with Us here or watch the video above.