Lauren Bushnell and Devin Antin: It"s Over!

More than a year ago, we told you that Lauren Bushnell had a new boyfriend, even before she and Devin Antin confirmed that they were dating.

But Lauren and Devin’s relationship has come to an end.

And Lauren is opening up about what she regrets about her relationship with Devin.

The days of Lauren Bushnell and Devin Antin’s PDA are, sadly, over.

Lauren opened up to Entertainment Tonight about things that she now wishes that she had done a little differently.

“In hindsight,” Lauren reveals. “I wish I would have taken a little bit more time” following her breakup with Ben Higgins.

Very few people realize that they’re in a rebound relationship when they first enter one.

“But,” Lauren acknowledges. “That’s the way it went.”

“It naturally evolved,” Lauren says, making it clear that she didn’t to seeking out a new boyfriend to ease her feelings of loneliness or whatever.

“But I do feel bad,” she admits. “Because I went through a very hard, public breakup.”

She worries that she burdened Devin with her very public baggage.

“And,” Lauren says. “I do think I brought a lot of those emotions into me and Devin’s relationship at the beginning.”

“So it’s definitely been, like, a roller coaster of a ride,” Lauren concludes.

Back when she and Devin were still together, she spoke to Entertainment Tonight about her new relationship and how it made people view her old one.

“I think everyone always wants there to be someone at fault, or a reason why, or someone wants to point the finger,” Lauren said.

“And,” she continued. “I think because I started dating Devin so soon after, I was kind of an easy target.”

Suggesting that she was the heartless villain who dumped Ben, who left The Bachelor: Winter Games in tears months later because he was still processing his emotions.

That was not the case.

“That was obviously hard,” Lauren says of their split. “But breakups are hard, whether you met on The Bachelor or not. Breakups suck.”

At the time, Lauren praised Devin for filling her with courage.

“He really does push me to do things that I’ve dreamt of or I’m passionate about or want to do,” Lauren gushed.

She quickly clarified: “and not push me in a way that’s like, aggressive,”

“[He] gives me that little nudge that maybe I need at times, which is really cool,” Lauren beamed.

“And,” she continued. “I’ve never really had someone who does that for me.”

Can we just say that Lauren’s honesty here, when she’s talking about how she may have been too hasty in beginning her relationship with Devin, is pretty refreshing?

She’s not making him out to be the bad guy, and she’s not blaming fan attention or Ben Higgins for this relationship fizzling out.

If anything, she might be giving herself too hard of a time. Sometimes, people still have emotional baggage from a past relationship, and that can stay with them for years.

Just because she moved on with her life without ritually purging herself of all emotion and personal history doesn’t mean that she was a toxic girlfriend.

View Slideshow: The Bachelor & The Bachelorette Cast: Their Hottest Swimsuit Photos Ever!

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Lauren Bushnell: Ben Higgins Was a Disaster I Should Have Seen Coming

It’s been a little over a year since Lauren Bushnell and Ben Higgins broke up.

While Ben left The Bachelor: Winter Games in tears not too long ago, Lauren is opening up about what it was really like leading up to and after her engagement to him.

In particular, she’s revealing more than ever about her misgivings about their one-season spin-off.

Speaking on Reality Steve‘s latest podcast, Lauren Bushnell describes exactly what it’s like in the hours leading up to the filming of a The Bachelor finale.

“There’s so much doubt in your mind.”

It makes sense. When you’re part of the final three, it must all become so real. A fun reality opportunity to get your 15 minutes of fame could set the course of your entire life.

“And I remember waking up that morning and I kind of had an idea that I was possibly going to get engaged and I remember having so much anxiety about it.”

That is very natural.

“Looking back, I don’t know if that was my gut being like, wait, timing-wise, this is too rushed or what.”

Anxiety is a mysterious mistress who comes to us for good reason … and for no reason at all.

“But I remember being really anxious that morning to the point where like I kind of snapped at my producer, which I had never done.”

Oh, yikes!

“We were super-close and good friends.”

She says that she needed some isolation during which to psych herself up for going on camera and for the man who had told her “I love you” to very possibly propose.

“I remember locking myself in the bathroom and being so overwhelmed and anxious.”

She wonders if she subconsciously realized that it would not end well.

“Now looking back, I wonder if it was my gut being like, this isn’t the right timing. You guys need more time.”

Or maybe she just had a case of the jitters.

“I don’t know. Who knows?”

And speaking of Lauren’s reality career and anxiety, remember her short-lived spin-off with Ben? Lauren & Ben: Happily Ever After?

“Obviously we had lots of talks and by no means was my arm twisted to force me to do anything.”

That said … she has always said that embarking on yet another reality series doomed them, even though it was not the only issue.

“At the end of the day, I made my own decision.”

Remember, they moved to Denver — where Ben had a job, friends, and family. Lauren had … nothing. Not even time with her fiance, thanks to the constant presence of cameras.

“But I remember initially the show was supposed to be about Ben running for office.”

Oh boy.

“He wanted to get into politics.”

This was not how Lauren had seen her life going at all.

“And not only did I not want to do a reality show, but I also really didn’t want my life to be a politician’s fiancée or wife or whatever.”

Remember how, just a few days after their breakup, Ben Higgins broke his silence and talked about their breakup?

Lauren sure does.

“I just don’t think you should ever use or let anyone around you use a breakup or a tough situation or actual personal feelings or personal life to promote something or benefit off something or profit off something.”

Ben used that to garner interest for his radio show.

“It just makes me feel uncomfortable…”

Very understandable. Especially since doing so allowed Ben to define the story in people’s minds.

“I was automatically kind of the bad guy and he was kind of the victim so that was a hard pill to swallow.”

That sounds so unfair.

“But at the end of the day, I’m glad I kept true to who I was…”

Lauren has obviously opened up about their life together — and what went wrong. But she took her time. More than Ben did, anyway.

“I just don’t think I’d necessarily talk about those things right away.”

Lauren also addresses whether, in some alternate timeline in which Ben proposed to JoJo Fletcher instead of to her, she would have accepted the role of leading lady on The Bachelorette.

“That’s such a hard question. I don’t know.”

That’s very honest.

“Honestly, I think I’ve realized this especially as I’ve gotten older, I do not like all eyes on me.”

But that doesn’t necessarily mean that she would have realized that at the time, right?

“I don’t like all the attention to be on me. I would feel really weird having 20 guys competing for my attention and I think I would really, really struggle with that.”

Ah, yes, every beautiful woman’s nightmare.

(We tease — we totally understand her discomfort)

View Slideshow: 33 Hottest Women of The Bachelor: Who’s #1?

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Lauren Bushnell and New Boyfriend Devin Antin: PDA Alert!

We told you that Lauren Bushnell has a new boyfriend, even before the couple finally confirmed their relationship.

At first, these two were keeping things pretty low-key, which is super understandable.

Now, though, they’re exchanging kisses and broadcasting them to social media.

Lauren and real estate investor Devin Antin started off as friends before their friendship blossomed into something else.

Honestly, that’s a 100% normal way for couples to meet and become couples.

Way more normal and probably way healthier than having a score of competing suitors meet and compete for the same person.

(Though, admittedly, less entertaining)\

Some might argue that she’s on the rebound or whatever, but you know what?

Sometimes people find the loves of their life right after getting out of a serious relationship.

And even when they don’t, a relationship isn’t invalid just because it won’t last forever.

And just look at them:

They’re so cute together!

The goofy filter takes away from the kiss a little, but that’s okay.

It’s kind of what filters are for.

(Also, Snapchat’s doing a Pikachu filter now, which is maybe their best idea since flower crowns)

Devin Antin might be new to the spotlight, but Lauren isn’t camera-shy.

We think that the filter was her idea, though.

Popping on a filter when you kiss your boyfriend makes it feel more like a fun, quirky post and less like flagrant PDA.

Lauren Bushnell, of course, not only competed on The Bachelor but won her season, along with the heart of Ben Higgins.

But as shocking as this may be to hear, a relationship that included Ben confessing his love to both Lauren and JoJo Fletcher separately but only proposing to one in the end didn’t turn out well!

Monogamy can be a healthy path for relationships.

Polyamory can be a healthy path for relationships.

Some sort of awkward mix-and-match between the two where one person’s heart is torn between two loves but he has to choose just one of them?

That’s a disaster.

That’s why, even though the sex was great, they broke up.

Well, plus the fact that Lauren and Ben started filming as a couple and had zero time to be alone with each other because they were always on camera.

That’s basically an automatic relationship-killer.

If you’ve been married for decades and your relationship is rock solid, sure, go ahead and have a reality show where you don’t have a moment’s peace or privacy.

Not when you’ve just gotten engaged and never had the chance to date off-camera.

Obviously, Lauren Bushnell isn’t likely to repeat that mistake.

She and Devin Antin aren’t being secretive about their relationship, sure.

But you can post some cute snaps to social media without tanking your relationship.

We know that there are still probably no shortage of shippers who are sad that Lauren and Ben broke up.

That’s totally normal. You watched them fall in love.

But what really matters is that Lauren gets to live her life and be happy.

View Slideshow: 29 Hottest Women of The Bachelor: Who’s #1?

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Lauren Bushnell CONFIRMS New Boyfriend!

Remember when we told you that Lauren Bushnell has a new boyfriend named Devin Antin?

Well, we weren’t pranking you or whatever. It’s true.

And now she’s taken to social media to make their relationship pretty much official.

Lately, for obvious reasons, we’ve been so engrossed in this season of The Bachelorette and all of the related drama that it’s so easy to forget that other shows exist.

(The Bachelorette‘s finale is tonight — though, if you’ve been following The Bachelorette Spoilers, you already know what to expect)

Remember when Ben Higgins confessed his love to both Lauren Bushnell and JoJo Fletcher … and then only chose Lauren Bushnell at the end?

Shockingly, Ben and Lauren didn’t work out.

It’s not only because Ben was so torn before making his decision, though it seems clear that this was a factor.

The real problem was no honest communication.

It was also because the two of them had their own reality series, which meant zero time to communicate honestly and openly at the start of their relationship.

The cameras that watched them fall in love also spelled death for that couple.

That’s the same thing that happened to Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, folks.

Anyway, these days, Lauren Bushnell is seeing a different fellow — just months after her split with Ben — and she’s even confirmed it by sharing this snap as part of her Instagram story.

She wrote “ok cutie” on the photo of Devin Antin.

While “OK Cutie” sounds like the name of a TV version of Ok Cupid that someone would refer to on Law & Order: SVU, we think that she’s just agreeing to go wherever he’s leading her.

It seems clear that he’s holding her hand and leading her somewhere.

Now, some of us do heart eyed emojis for our friends and may even refer to some as cuties, but generally speaking, this is very couple-y behavior.

Especially the hand-holding.

We guess that she figured that the proverbial cat was already out of the metaphorical bag, so she’d just make it official in the most casual manner imaginable.

Lauren also added this quote, without attribution:

“You can’t always wait for the perfect time. Sometimes, you have to dare to do it because life is too short to wonder what could have been.”

We don’t know the origins of the quote, but it’s all over motivational posters and, like, Pinterest.

But a quote doesn’t have to be original or even especially noteworthy to have meaning to someone.

In this case, we suspect that Lauren may have shared those words because she’s aware that it’s only been a few months since she and Ben split for good.

Which is nicer than posting: “F you all, I can date whenever I like.”

Though we’d have understood if she’d said that.

Compared to how well people got to know Ben Higgins, Devin Antin is something of a mystery.

He’s a real estate investor and he and Lauren were hanging out as friends until that friendship blossomed into something more.

He’s not a reality star or a singer or whatever with the sort of fame that accompanies those roles.

But as he enters the spotlight by dating Lauren, we expect that we’ll learn more.

View Slideshow: 14 Most Toxic Relationships in Reality TV History

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"Bachelor" Winner Lauren Bushnell Catches the Sunset with New BF Devin Antin in Maui

Lauren Bushnell’s been keeping a new flame on the DL since splitting from ‘Bachelor’ Ben Higgins – which is baffling, because they look great together! Lauren was in Maui this past weekend, where she caught a sunset pic with her…

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Lauren Bushnell Has a New Boyfriend ... But Who is He?

They may have won each other’s hearts on The Bachelor, but no relationship can escape from entropy — that is to say, Lauren Bushnell and Ben Higgins broke up.

That was a whole thing, but Lauren’s now in a new relationship, and while at first we’d heard that she’d reconnected with an ex, we now know that the man that she’s dating is someone new. …

At first, rumor had it that Lauren had gotten together with her ex, Sean Evans.

That’s the kind of thing that happens all of the time.

Especially shortly after a breakup, when you might be feeling vulnerable and uncertain and want a familiar face.

(So long as the breakup with said old flame was amicable, anyway)

But that’s not the case, as Lauren Bushnell is dating a guy named Devin Antin.

And while some reports say that these two have dated before, Devin is — at the very least — “new” to the public.

Thanks to Twitter, we at least know what Devin looks like — a handsome guy, to be sure.

This image was reportedly taken in 2015, before The Bachelor, which does seem to suggest that Lauren and Devin have dated before.

We suspect that now that people know, Lauren might speak about it publicly and tell us a little more.

Because the world could use some clarification.

In the mean time, we still have more to go on, thanks to Us Weekly‘s source.

And it sounds like, after Lauren’s split with Ben Higgins back in May, it wasn’t long before she and Devin became an item.

“They have been dating for a while now.”

We also know that Lauren knows or has at least met his family.

“She was at a Golden State game with his sisters.”

Awww, that’s sweet!

But not surprising since they seem to have a history together.

We’re sure that she could use a break after her highly publicized breakup from Ben Higgins.

Lauren and Ben had a real connection on The Bachelor, but their relationship ended up fizzling, step by step.

One major factor in their breakup was filming Happily Ever After together, where they couldn’t honestly communicate with each other because of the presence of the cameras.

Though the sex remained great, Lauren started to feel isolated when they moved to a city where she didn’t know anyone.

Another factor, however, was when she learned that Ben Higgins had told JoJo Fletcher and Lauren Bushnell that he loved them.

Both of them. Separately.

She learned, it’s said, when that episode aired, and felt embarrassed and a little confused.

We wonder if Ben Higgins is wishing that he’d gone with JoJo Fletcher, you know?

Actually, do you guys remember that brief period when some of us were hopeful that The Bachelor would have a polyamorous twist?

It was when Ben confessed that to both of them.

We wondered if he was just going to try to propose to both of them.

We didn’t dare to hope, really.

(And also, for a polyamorous relationship to work, everybody needs to be on board from the get-go)

But it would have been cool.

Maybe it’ll happen with a different thruple in a future season.

But now Lauren and Ben are no more, so … all of that drama built up to what ended up being a very short relationship.

Sometimes, that’s life.

As for Devin Antin, there are still things that are uncertain or just entirely unknown.

But he has a great name and he’s handsome, so that’s two points in his favor.

As soon as we know more about Devin Antin, we’ll be sure to let you know.

We can, however, safely say that he’s a lucky man.

View Slideshow: 29 Hottest Women of The Bachelor: Who’s #1?

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Lauren Bushnell on Ben Higgins: The Sex Was Amazing, But...

Lauren Bushnell has finally opened up about her split from Ben Higgins.

After having earned the final rose from this former Bachelor to conclude Season 20, Bushnell went through many ups and downs with Higgins over about one year of dating.

This included a duel starring role on a Freeform reality series and an attempt to stay together even after Higgins called off their engagement.

This decision took place many months ago, yet Higgins and Bushness did not break up until mid-May.

Where did it all go wrong?

Sources have cited Bushnell’s move to Denver as an early turning point, as she basically gave up her entire life for Higgins, only to then be left without a real identity once she arrived in Colorado.

Higgins had a job and friends and family members there, while Lauren had next to nothing outside of her fiance.

And then he turned into her mere boyfriend and things spiraled from there.

Speaking to People Magazine, however, Bushnell is quick to say that the ex-couple’s sex life never took a downward turn.

Yes, “of course” there was a physical connection between the stars during the entirety of their relationship…

…it was the emotional aspect that led to the end of their time together.

“It was more so the emotional connection that fizzled,” Bushnell explains to the magazine.

In a stunning development, Bushnell admits that maybe anchoring a reality show wasn’t the best idea for the couple’s long-term hopes.

“I remember during filming Happily Ever After, I was so stressed out, we couldn’t even communicate with one another when we were filming,” she says now, adding:

“We were just stressed and tired physically. Emotionally, I just felt like it wasn’t there anymore.”

A few weeks ago, following lots of chatter online that a break-up was imminent, Higgins and Bushnell confirmed they were no longer bumping uglies in bed.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce our decision to go our separate ways,” they said in a joint statement, further telling fans:

“We feel fortunate for the time we had together, and will remain friends with much love and respect for one another.

“We wish nothing but the best for each other, and ask for your support and understanding at this time.”

Ever since, Higgins has received a lot of backlash.

Critics believe he led Bushnell on and that he only used their romance for fame, especially in light of his recent new podcast alongside Ashley Iaconetti.

Sick of the criticism, Higgins finally snapped last week.

A little bit, at least.

He wrote on Instagram that he was trying his hardest to ignore the “hateful words” aimed at his direction, but had to admit that they did “sting” at times.

“I will once again clearly tell you I AM NOT PERFECT as none of us are and I have never claimed to be,” he wrote, adding that he’s doing his best to live and learn.

“The last few months have not gone the way I would have preferred. My relationships have changed drastically and what I envisioned my life was going to be has been redirected.

“It is sad, but it is nothing you should feel sorry for me about, life happens both the good and bad.”

Ben referred to the podcast as a “professional decision” he made with no regard to Bushnell and then tried to pass along a few words of wisdom.

Love as hard as you can (even to strangers), he wrote. Ask yourself what life is about and pursue your conclusion with passion.

When a good opportunity comes your way that fits your desires take it, because life is short but a lot more fun when you are doing something you enjoy.

That’s fair and mostly accurate.

In the end, it’s hard to choose sides here because Ben and Lauren met and “fell in love” on The Bachelor.

Did anyone really think they were ever going to make it?

View Slideshow: Celebrity Break-Ups: Who Called It Quits in 2017?

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"Bachelor" Star Lauren Bushnell Is Returning Ben Higgins" Engagement Ring (VIDEO)

Lauren Bushnell is traveling light these days … as in, without the engagement ring Ben Higgins proposed with on “The Bachelor.”  Lauren was at LAX Tuesday night and said she’s planning to return the ice, although she hasn’t yet.…

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Ben Higgins Breaks Silence on "Tough" Lauren Bushnell Split

In speaking about his recent break-up from Lauren Bushnell, Ben Higgins went ahead this week and channeled his inner Boyz II Men.

Despite constant chatter over the state of his relationship with his chosen suitor, the ex-Bachelor said on a podcast Wednesday that it’s so very hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

In a clip from the podcast obtained by People Magazine, Higgins delved into the end of his romance with Bushnell and explained that both sides simply knew it was time to call it quits.

“Just to be as politically correct as possible but to also be as truthful as possible, Lauren will always be one of my best friends,” said Higgins.

He continued:

“It’s tough.

“It’s hard to say goodbye to somebody that you spent so much time with and it’s hard to say goodbye to somebody that you really did believe was the one for you.”

Just how strongly did Higgins believe Bushnell was the one for him?

He called off the couple’s relationship engagement during an episode of their Freeform reality show last summer.

Higgins made Bushnell cry at the time, but insisted he was still dedicated to her in the long run.

But this is no longer the case.

“I’m sad. I’m a little confused, a little lost, but I’m doing alright,” Higgins told fellow Bachelor alumnus Ashley Iaconetti on the podcast.

Throughout the past few months, the couple had been plagued by breakup rumors.

Where did it all go wrong for Bushnell and Higgins? Why did the end finally arrive?

Bushnell moved to Denver to be with Higgins and many insiders have said she lost her identity in doing so.

She doesn’t really have a job and hasn’t had a direction in life since uprooting everything for her now-ex-fiance.

“I know that they have struggled with the show and then kind of continuing on and doing their reality show and kind of where the show stopped and then where life began,” Chris Harrison told People in his remarks about the split.

Our favorite host human being added:

“They were fighting through a bunch of stuff. But I don’t know. I’ll reach out to them. I’m very sorry to hear that because I do care about them very much.”

What does Higgins have to say about the past several weeks?

“I think, mutually, Lauren and I saw that life was getting more difficult,” he tried to explain on the podcast, expounding as follows:

“I would say the joy that we felt toward our relationship at the beginning was – for some reason – slipping away, and we were both working very hard to bring that joy back.

“And it just never seemed to get there. So it was a long time coming, but it wasn’t necessarily like we dragged it out.”

View Slideshow: The Bachelor and Bachelorette Couples: Are They Still Together?

Here is what Higgins and Bushnell said in a joint statement upon confirming their split:

It is with heavy hearts that we announce our decision to go our separate ways.

We feel fortunate for all the time that we had together, and we will remain friends with much love and respect for one another.

We wish nothing but the best for each other, and ask for your support and understanding at this time.

In conclusion, however, Higgins sees a positive future for both himself and his former lover.

“I believe that Lauren and I both will come out of this with a whole new season that is going to be very good for the both of us,” he said on the podcast.

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Lauren Bushnell and Ben Higgins: Where Did It Go Wrong?!?

Just last week, Ben Higgins quoted Martin Luther King Jr. on Instagram, writing the following:

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

He then addressed girlfriend Lauren Bushnell as part of the same caption for the photo below and added:

“@laurenbushnell continues to spread love while some feel it is their responsibility to spread hate, she is a light in this world. Proud of my gal.”

Fast forward to Monday and Higgins confirmed that he and Bushnell had broken up.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce our decision to go our separate ways,” the former Bachelor and his previously-selected winner said in a joint statement.

Added the ex-love birds:

“We feel fortunate for all the time that we had together, and we will remain friends with much love and respect for one another.

“We wish nothing but the best for each other, and ask for your support and understanding at this time.”

Higgins and Bushnell got together early last year, after the latter beat out JoJo Fletcher to win the former’s season of The Bachelor.

But many fans have been counting down the days to their split ever since The Bachelor finale, considering Higgins also told Fletcher he was in love with her toward the end of his run on ABC.

Rumors of a break-up have been dogging Ben and Lauren for several months, despite their starring role on a Freeform reality show last summer in which they allowed cameras to chronicle their personal lives.

To add drama to a potential second season, Higgins actually called off his wedding to Bushnell on air at one point…

… although he still claimed he wanted to be with her forever. He just needed more time to fully commit.

Yeah. Like we said: this split wasn’t too hard to see coming in some ways.

Still, Higgins blasted an Us Weekly report of his relationship’s demise as “fake news” in February, seeking to end all such chatter with a social media statement that read as follows:

“We have entered into a world where rumors will exist we know that, but just know as @laurenbushnell celebrates her birthday tomorrow I am still extremely lucky to be able to share life with her and be by her side.”

But now the romance is officially over.

What happened?!?

“I know that they have struggled with the show and then kind of continuing on and doing their reality show and kind of where the show stopped and then where life began,” The Bachelor host Chris Harrison told People yesterday of his interpretation.

He added:

“They were fighting through a bunch of stuff. But I don’t know. I’ll reach out to them. I’m very sorry to hear that because I do care about them very much.”

Yet, while Harrison expressed shock upon being told by People that Higgins and Bushnell had split, an insider tells E! News this was easy to see coming.

“No one is that surprised,” this source says. “Lauren was pretty open among her friends that she was struggling. She would talk about how hard it was.”

The E! mole goes on to explain that the pressure of having to seem happy while in the public eye really affected Ben and Lauren.

Another source says that “after the show, Lauren felt like she gave up everything for Ben.”

We can see this; following the end of their reality TV season, Lauren quit her job and moved to Denver for Higgins. She really had no identity except for The Woman Who Won The Bachelor.

Labeling the split as a “mutual” decision, E! concludes:

“They both really wanted to make it work, but Lauren was the only one who was really needing to change a lot of things…

“She felt like she wasn’t being authentic to herself.”

View Slideshow: Bachelor Baby Boom: The Births of a Reality Show Nation

That’s too bad.

But at least Ben and Lauren have a whole lot of company.

Yes, some couples who met on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette have gone on to make babies together (see above).

Most, however, have gone their separate ways.

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Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell: It"s Over!

After nearly a year and a half together, The Bachelor‘s Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell have broken up, according to a reliable source.

Them.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce our decision to go our separate ways,” the couple said in a statement just moments ago.

“We feel fortunate for all the time that we had together, and we will remain friends with much love and respect for one another.”

“We wish nothing but the best for each other, and ask for your support and understanding at this time,”  Ben and Lauren said.

And so it goes. Another Bachelor franchise couple bites the dust … raise your hand if you’re surprised. Anyone? Hello? No?

The couple’s season, in which she outlasted JoJo Fletcher (who went on to be The Bachelorette) premiered in January 2016.

Higgins, 29, proposed to Bushnell, 27, after telling Fletcher, 26, that he was in love with her as well on her Fantasy Suite date.

Despite that controversy, the engaged couple weathered the PR storm and seemed genuinely happy … for awhile, at least.

Bushnell moved to Higgins’ hometown of Denver, where she said “post-filming was more of an emotional roller coaster than the show.”

“I fall more in love with Ben every day and it’s hard to separate what happened long ago and my current feelings,” she said. “It’s confusing.”

“It does wear on me. It hurts,” she added, describing how she would watch The Bachelor online and see him profess his love. To JoJo.

“It’s like, why did I have to go through that hurt? It’s already a few months of confusion and tears and then to have to deal with it again.”

“It’s hard.” 

Higgins added that “it hasn’t always been easy,” but said that “it’s added a whole new level to our relationship,” for what that’s worth.

“[The Bachelor] led me to this woman who I love deeply,” Higgins said of Bushnell. “She’s the only woman I’ll love from now on.”

So much for that.

Six months later, Higgins and Bushnell returned to TV for the hilariously titled Freeform reality show Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After?

Turns out that question mark was prescient. Ahead of the premiere, the two revealed they were undergoing couples counseling at church.

“We’re not the perfect couple. Far from it” Higgins said, but again he insisted, “we are trying really hard and we love each other a lot.”

“We’ve gotten in arguments like any other couple, but about some things that other couples wouldn’t have to fight about,” Lauren said.

“Like the fact that we met when he was dating other women. You can say that’s what I signed up for, but it’s still real life and it’s still hard.”

In the end, overcoming trust issues is a challenge for couples under the best of circumstances … and these circumstances were not the best.

“For a long time, I was really angry for being blindsided,” said Bushnell. “And that resentment and anger affected our relationship.”

“Much longer than it should have.”

The two always maintained they were “not in any rush” to tie the knot, which many observers also interpreted as something of a red flag.

Lauren explained that as such:

“We’re both ready to get married, but we haven’t set a date because we want to make sure we’re not doing it for anyone but ourselves.”

“We just want to do it on our own terms,” Ben said. “I just want to look over at Lauren and know that she is completely filled with joy.”

View Slideshow: The Bachelor and Bachelorette Couples: Are They Still Together?

“Love is what life is all about.”

And yet the rumors persisted … and yet her went out of his way to deny a recent report from Us Weekly via an oft-overused phrase.

Higgins wrote on Instagram, alongside a picture of his arms around Bushnell, in response to the tabloid reporting that they broke up:

“No need to respond often to rumors or ‘fake news’ but the feeling I have in this picture is the same feeling I have for this girl today.”

“We have entered into a world where rumors will exist, we know, but … I am still extremely lucky to be able to share life with her and be by her side.”

No official word on why they split, nor do we expect it, but we wish both parties the best in what must be an excruciatingly hard time.

Bring on Bachelor Pad!

View Slideshow: The Bachelor Stars: Ranked By Relationship Length!

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"Bachelor" Stars Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell Announce Split!!

‘Bachelor’ stars Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell are donzo … the couple just announced they’ve split. Ben proposed to Lauren in season 20 of ‘Bachelor’ but the relationship didn’t come without some pretty major hiccups. First, he told Lauren…

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Lauren Bushnell Wishes Ben Higgins Happy Birthday: Are They Still a Thing?!?

Lauren Bushnell and Ben Higgins are still together … for now. 

As with any couple in Bachelor Nation, there have been conflicting reports about the state of their relationship for quite some time. Some fans even thought they were finished with one another. 

Now, Bushnell has taken to Instagram to wish Ben a happy birthday in a somewhat revealing post. 

“Happy birthday babe!!!!!” she captioned the below picture. 

“I’m so thankful for this life together. Although sometimes rocky you always hold my hand and support me through it, always with a smile on your face. You deserve the world, especially today. 🍾💕.”

So, does this mean things are good for The Bachelor duo? 

It certainly seems like it. One would think that Bushnell would not bother even wishing her man a happy birthday if their relationship was as volatile as US Weekly would like the world to believe. 

That US Weekly post prompted Ben to hit up social media to trash the site for the fake news. 

“No need to respond often to rumors or ‘fake news’ but the feeling I have in this picture is the same feeling I have for this girl today. We have entered into a world where rumors will exist we know that, but just know as @laurenbushnell celebrates her birthday tomorrow I am still extremely lucky to be able to share life with her and be by her side.”

It must be tough with all of the rumors, but their reality show, Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After certainly seemed to cast a dark cloud on the couple. 

After being engaged when Ben chose Lauren as his woman on the season finale of The Bachelor, they called it off when they worried they were not in the relationship for the right reasons.

As you probably know, Bachelor Nation couples have a knack for making a tidy sum of money from endorsements and magazine deals. 

If there’s an easy avenue to make some money, then why not?

View Slideshow: Lauren Bushnell: Ben Higgins’ Bachelor Bride-to-Be!

While there’s no word yet on whether their Freeform reality series will return for another season, the couple’s fate is probably in limbo until word on a renewal comes out. 

They probably want to keep most of their drama for the cameras. 

What do you think about all of this sound off below!

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