Nick Viall Wants This Changed to Keep Bachelor Nation ‘Wholesome’ Amid Scandals

Nick Viall may welcome controversy in Bachelor Nation, but within reason. The season 21 Bachelor addressed the recent drama surrounding some of The Golden Bachelorette contestant’s legal troubles and exclusively tells Life & Style what he’d like to see change within the franchise.

“Certainly the Golden Bachelorette or the Golden franchise, it’s a beautiful franchise,” Nick, 44, said on the red carPet of Cool Comedy’s Hot Cuisine, benefitting the scleroderma research foundation. “We really enjoy the wholesomeness. And I think as much as we can do to enjoy that wholesomeness, I think we want to try to do that.”

After the current season 1 of The Golden Bachelorette premiered, Joan Vassos’ contestant Guy Gansert’s legal troubles were exposed. In October, The Sun reported that Guy’s ex-wife filed for a “protection order against domestic violence” against him in 2021. However, the protection order wasn’t granted because Guy’s ex stopped pursuing action within the filing, according to court documents obtained by Life & Style.

Joan, 61, broke her silence during her October 23 appearance on Nick’s podcast, “The Viall Files,” and played the devil’s advocate in the situation. That said, the ABC star reminded Nick that The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette stars “come [on the show] with a lot of past.”

“We’ve lived a lot of life and it doesn’t completely surprise me that there are things that they’re maybe not proud of later on,” Joan said.

She later continued, “[Guy] was so kind to me and he was so open and he was so vulnerable. I never in a million years would have guessed that there was any kind of past there.” Joan went on to admit “maybe he made a mistake,” however, “[It] feels like it’s resolved between the two of them and it just unfortunately came out.”

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Guy, 66, for his part, addressed his past in a statement on October 11.

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“I would like to respond to an article about a personal matter from 2021. This was an unfortunate situation that occurred during an incredibly stressful time for me and my former spouse and was ultimately resolved when she voluntary [sic] dismissed her request for a protective order,” Guy wrote via Instagram. “Together we crafted a resolution that was agreeable to both parties. My ex-wife and I recently asked the court to seal her application for the protective order as we had hoped to maintain privacy for our family.”

Later in the statement, Guy reflected on his 34-year marriage with his ex-wife and the “four children who [they] raised together and deeply love.”

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“They are my greatest accomplishment. My divorce was extremely difficult for me and led me to a very low point in my life and as a result I acted in a way that does not represent who I am,” the statement continued. “The past few years have caused me to conduct a deep personal evaluation, and I will always continue to work to improve myself.”

Fans can continue to watch Guy comPete for Joan’s final rose during the Monday, November 6, episode of The Golden Bachelorette on NBC.