Bachelor Nation
‘The Bachelor’s First Winner Amanda Marsh Meets ‘Golden Bachelor’s Leslie Fhima & Theresa Nist
The worlds within Bachelor Nation continue to collide. The Golden Bachelor‘s Theresa Nist spent the weekend in Minnesota with runner-up Leslie Fhima, and they crossed paths with a notable member of Bachelor Nation.
Fhima shared a photo on her Instagram Story of Amanda Marsh, the first-ever winner of The Bachelor. Fhima, Nist, and Marsh posed together while hanging out in Minnesota. “So much fun meeting @amandamarshcaldwell 1st ever winner of @bachelorabc,” Fhima captioned the picture.
Marsh was one of the original members of Bachelor Nation, having competed for Alex Michel’s heart during the inaugural season of The Bachelor, which premiered in 2002. Marsh and Michel continued their relationship after the season ended, but they broke up in 2003.
In 2020, Marsh appeared on The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons — Ever! and revealed that distance played a role in her split with Michel. She moved to Kansas City for a job opportunity, while Michel stayed in California. “That was difficult,” Marsh said about their long-distance relationship. “We tried to make it work, but it was hard. That’s a pretty long distance.”
Leslie Fhima / Instagram
While on The Bachelor, Marsh was working as an event planner. Today, she is a nurse practitioner. She’s happily married to her husband, Chris Evans (not that one), and they have a daughter together. As for Michel, he is married with kids.
Nist and Fhima have maintained a close friendship since The Golden Bachelor ended. Nist married Golden Bachelor lead Gerry Turner in a January 2024 televised wedding, but they split just a few months later. Turner is now dating Lana Turner. Nist is seeing someone at the moment, but she’s keeping her relationship private.
Fhima is currently one of the Golden cast members searching for love on Bachelor in Paradise Season 10. The Goldens made their appearance in the third episode, intermingling with the younger Bachelor Nation stars.
Did you watch the first season of The Bachelor? Do you remember Amanda? Let us know in the comments below!
Bachelor in Paradise, Season 10, Mondays, 8/7c, ABC
