Is ‘The Bachelor’ Winner Cassie Randolph On The Show For The Wrong Reasons?

“The Bachelor” is almost done with its 2019 season, which means viewers will soon learn who star Colton Underwood ends up with. Still, it has been discussed several times in recent episodes that not every contestant left in the ABC competition series is ready for marriage as they may have alternative "Bachelorette" plans. Is Cassie one of the women her co-stars have been warning Colton about?

[Warning: This article contains finale spoilers.]

It has been reported that Cassie Randolph is Colton’s Season 23 winner, though the two are said to not be engaged. Despite Colton picking her, some fans can’t help but wonder if she went on the series “for the right reasons,” mainly because of her role on another reality show.

As reported by Reality Steve, who also spoiled this year’s “The Bachelor” season finale, Cassie filmed Season 2 of the series “Young Once” just weeks before filming “The Bachelor” Season 23 in September.

New episodes of “Young Once,” a Castle web series which follows recent college graduates navigating life, release the same day new installments of “The Bachelor” air on ABC.

While being a cast member on another reality show isn’t an offense, it’s the subject of the show that has some “Bachelor” fans rattled. In “Young Once,” Cassie’s two-season storyline focuses on her on-again, off-again relationship with her ex-boyfriend of five years, Caelan Tiongson.

“Obviously they didn’t end up together at the end, but do you think maybe just maybe they didn’t end up together because she was about to leave and film another dating show? This isn’t a fling. This isn’t some random guy,” reported Reality Steve.

“Does this make Cassie the worst human being alive? Certainly not. Is she a horrible person? No, not at all. Should she be burned at the stake? Well, no. But don’t tell me this isn’t somewhat shady,” he continued.

While some may be against Cassie, her ex appears to have her back. In a recent Instagram post, Caelan called the decision to air “Young Once” at the same time as “The Bachelor” a mere “strategy to attract viewers.”

“They happened to catch the closing of mine and Cassie’s on and off relationship during the recording of this show. Make no mistake that ‘Young Once’ was filmed before ‘The Bachelor,’” he wrote.

Caelan went on to confirm his and Cassie’s relationship was “over for good” before she met Colton.

“The reality of the situation is that Cassie is a great girl,” he added. “Her decision to go on ‘The Bachelor’ was a decisive moment in my life to move forward so why couldn’t it serve as that for her as well? If I met my dream girl a month after our final closing this summer that would just be how God had it planned for me. Nobody has the right to tell her whether or not she has good intentions.”

Cassie has since shared her own comment on the controversy on her Instagram page, writing, “The timing of everything was completely chance. I care very much about Caelan and I want nothing but the best for him and his life.”