It feels like it was just yesterday that we watched Tim Robards and Anna Heinrich fall in love on the inaugural season of The Bachelor, or Blake Garvey pop the question to winner Sam Frost only to break it off weeks later.
But believe it or not, these iconic, game-changing Bachelor moments happened nearly a decade ago.
While some former Bachie stars have remained in the public spotlight and carved out lucrative media careers since the show, most have faded back into obscurity.
Keep scrolling to find out what the most iconic, beloved and controversial former Bachie stars are up to now.
Blake Garvey’s second runner-up Louise Pillidge works in communications today.
(Images: Ten/Instagram)Louise Pillidge – Blake Garvey’s season, 2014
A Bachelor scandal that has stood the test of time happened back in season two, when Blake Garvey proposed to Sam Frost in front of the nation before promptly ditching her for second-runner-up Louise Pillidge, briefly earning him the title of “most hated man in Australia.”
Despite the backlash, Louise and Blake dated for 18 months before calling it quits in April 2016.
Eight years after shooting to national fame, Louise now lives quite the private life and barely posts on social media, choosing not to go down the influencer path that so many previous Bachelor stars do.
Now 34, Louise is a successful communications manager at a financial advisory firm on the Gold Coast.
Season five’s Leah Costa makes a living off OnlyFans.
(Images: Ten/Instagram)Leah Costa – Matty J’s season, 2017
Leah Costa earned herself the dreaded “villain” edit during her stint on Matty ‘J’ Johnson’s season of The Bachelor back in 2017. The then-25-year-old was known for her bold decision to kiss Matty during a group date photoshoot, which sent her rival contestants into a frenzy.
But these days, the architecture graduate is earning a living as a top content creator on OnlyFans.
“It’s been a wild ride and I’m grateful for the support, looking forward putting my finances into new and exciting business ventures,” Leah told the Daily Mail in 2021.
Leah was briefly romantically linked to former Big Brother star Drew Anthony, but their pair had a very public break up in 2018.
She may have been head over heels for Nick Cummins, but now Cass Wood is a successful influencer.
(Images: Ten/Instagram)Cassandra Wood, Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins’ season, 2018
Cass Wood unfortunately held the title of the “stage five clinger” the Honey Badger’s season, but her time on the show has led to a fruitful career as an Instagram influencer.
With more than 150,000 followers, Cass, who resides in Sydney, regularly attends brand launches and media events, and often spruiks products via social media.
Cass started dating Tyson Davis in September 2020, but the pair parted ways a year later. Judging by her Instagram, it seems Cass is currently single.
Matty J’s runner-up Elise Stacy is now married to Justin Kosmina.
(Image: Ten/Instagram)Elise Stacy, Matty J’s season, 2017
Bachelor fans’ hearts broke for Elise Stacy after she was rejected by Matty J in the 2017 finale. But five years on, the 34-year-old couldn’t be happier with her husband Justin Kosmina.
The pair tied the knot in a stunning ceremony in Sydney’s Palm Beach in April 2021 after meeting in early 2018.
Elise regularly posts travel photos and loved-up pics of herself and Justin to her 33,000 Instagram followers.
Lana Jeavons-Fellows stays out of the spotlight these days.
(Image: Ten/Instagram)Lana Jeavons-Fellows, Sam Wood’s season, 2015
While there’s no denying Sam Wood and Snezana Markoski make one of the sweetest Bachelor couples of all time, we couldn’t help but feel bad for Lana, who was left broken-hearted in the dramatic 2015 finale.
“After the show I was going out a lot, drinking a lot with girlfriends and that can get you into a negative headspace,” she told the Telegraph at the time. “It took me a while to get back to normal, it took me a good year to get back to feeling good.”
While briefly dipping her toe into the world of an influencer following her stint on the show, nowadays, Lana is a fulltime corporate worker.
Now 34, Lana works as in corporate communications at a hospital but still attends the odd media event.
Lana enjoyed a romance with Jake Meah, but it appears the pair have parted ways as he’s been wiped from her social media.
Alex Nation is now engaged with two kids.
(Image: Ten/Instagram)Alex Nation – Richie Strahan’s season, 2016
Alex may have won Richie’s heart at the end of the the 2016 season, but the pair copped their fair share of flak from viewers who argued the Bachelor lead should have picked runner-up Nikki Gogan.
Alex and Richie stayed together for about a year, and eventually had a very awkward reunion during Bachelor In Paradise in 2019.
But Alex has well and truly put her Bachelor days behind her, and has since found love with her now-fiancé Carson Jory.
The happy couple welcomed their son Maxwell in August last year, and Alex regularly shares mum updates on her Instagram.
The 29-year-old is also kept busy with her 10-year-old son named Elijah, whom she shares with her former partner.
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