‘The Bachelor’: The Real Story Behind Colton Underwood’s Relationship With Tia Booth
Before Colton Underwood was the bachelor he was on Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette. Bachelor Nation might remember the drama involving Underwood and former Bachelor contestant Tia Booth (who also happens to be friends with Kufrin).
One of Kufrin’s group dates involved some of her girlfriends. Booth was present and told Kufrin that she’d actually been talking to Underwood prior to her season. She hinted that she had feelings for him. Not too long after their conversation, Kufrin sent Underwood home.
In Underwood’s book, The First Time, he explains what really went down between him and Booth before Kufrin’s season.
When Underwood started The Bachelorette casting process, he was asked which women from the current season he liked the most. He said: Becca Kufrin, Tia Booth and Lauren Burnham.
How Colton Underwood and Tia Booth started talking
One night, amidst the casting process, Booth responded to one of Underwood’s Instagram stories.
“We exchanged numbers and texted fast and furiously throughout the day and night. It didn’t seem like either of us slept. Two days later, I FaceTimed with her,” Underwood wrote. “I couldn’t believe that we were doing this. It seemed crazy.”
When it started to look like Underwood would be on the next season of The Bachelorette, he and Booth decided to meet up in person.
“Was I trying to scheme a little? Yes. If Tia was going to be the Bachelorette, I wanted a head start on all the other guys. I knew the importance of preparing for a big game, and all I was really doing was preparing,” he wrote. “I wanted to get to know Tia in person and let her get to know me better. Maybe we’d even really like each other. I think Tia had similar thoughts.”
Underwood writes that, during their visit, he told Booth he’d never had sex and she was respectful. She was sure he’d end up on the show. She was also pretty sure that Kufrin was going to be the bachelorette (after Arie Luyendyk Jr. broke up with her on national TV after naming her the winner of his season, how could she not?).
Colton Underwood was going on ‘The Bachelorette’ whether it was Tia Booth or Becca Kufrin
Later, before filming began, Underwood met Kufrin via FaceTime. Oddly enough, it was when she was on a girls’ trip with Booth and Caroline Lunny.
Underwood ended up telling Booth that he was going to do the show whether she or Kufrin was the bachelorette. According to Us Weekly, his last phone call before filming was to Booth. She said to him: “Just have fun and be yourself. Becca is an amazing person. And if you don’t end up with her, I’ll see your a** in Paradise.”
And, of course, she did.
