Exclusive Interview
‘Are You My First?’ Host Colton Underwood Reflects on Being Labeled the ‘Virgin Bachelor’
When it comes to talking about your sex life—or in this case, lack thereof—on national television, it’s clear that a lot has changed since Colton Underwood made his reality TV debut back in 2018.
To celebrate the launch of Hulu’s new show, Are You My First?, co-hosted by fellow Bachelor Nation alum Kaitlyn Bristowe, we sat down with Colton Underwood to discuss many of his reality TV firsts, including the day when The Bachelor star learned that he was being marketed as the “Virgin Bachelor.”
Craig Sjodin/ABC
Looking back at the infamous moment when Colton told Becca Kufrin that he was a virgin while heading into fantasy suites on Season 14 of The Bachelorette, Colton recalled the weight of announcing something so intimate on reality TV, sharing, “I didn’t want that to be my storyline.” While his vulnerability undoubtedly contributed to him earning the title of The Bachelor for Season 23, he revealed to Swooon that he “was not happy” to learn that his season would revolve around his potential sex life. He even called up the production team to try to stop it!
The Bachelor star confessed that a show like Are You My First?, which solely features single daters who have yet to have sex, would have been “very attractive” to him if it existed during his original entrance into reality TV seven years ago because it would have given him “permission to explore [his] sexuality.”
Disney / Jeff Daly
Entering Are You My First? as hosts, both Colton and Kaitlyn wanted to make themselves readily available to the contestants. Colton revealed to Swooon, “I wanted to make sure that they knew that I was available 24/7, and I truly meant that. The production team knew that they could pull me out of bed in the middle of the night if someone was having anxiety or wanted to talk through something.”
Ultimately, Colton thanks the “new generation” for “doing such an incredible job of taking the pressure of just sex in general but also sexual identity much lower.” Looking at the contestants on Are You My First?, he admitted that his pride comes from his own history of “mislabeling” himself as straight at such a young age. While he made it clear that he does not mean to indicate that any of the contestants are questioning their sexuality, he resonated with their experience, stating, “They came into the show with an idea of why they’re virgins, but they left with a whole new understanding.”
Are You My First?, Season 1, All Episodes Streaming Now, Hulu
