Rodney Matthews Didn’t Initially Want to Join ‘Bachelor in Paradise’
Bachelor in Paradise is heating up for Rodney Matthews. He quickly became a hot commodity when he arrived on the beach and made a connection with Lace Morris. After the women were sent away from the beach, Rodney formed an even stronger relationship with Eliza Isechei. However, Rodney was initially very hesitant to come on the show.
[Spoiler alert: Bachelor in Paradise Season 8 spoilers ahead regarding Rodney Matthews.]
Rodney Matthews connected with Lace and Eliza on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 8
Rodney Matthews arrived on Bachelor in Paradise in episode 3. Rodney was a contestant on Michelle Young’s season of The Bachelorette and was eliminated after hometowns. Luckily for Rodney, plenty of women had their eyes on him when he arrived at the beach. He connected with Lace Morris and accepted her rose during the second rose ceremony.
Later, Jesse Palmer introduced a new twist. The original women were told to pack their bags and leave the beach, and five new women arrived. Rodney formed an even stronger bond with one of these women — Eliza Isichei. The pair had the opportunity to go on a one-on-one date, and their feelings only grew.
“I have this feeling ever since you walked in that I could actually be successful in this experience and find someone to really change and enhance my life,” Rodney told Eliza on their date.
Rodney was initially hesitant to join the show
Rodney was lucky enough to make a solid connection on Bachelor in Paradise, but he almost didn’t come on the show at all. While appearing on an episode of the Talking It Out With Bachelor Nation podcast, Rodney described how the other contestants on Michelle’s season of The Bachelorette asked him if he would do Paradise.
“I’m like, ‘Absolutely not. This is a one-and-done for me. Like this is already crazy enough. I can’t see myself going on a freaking beach with everybody trying to attack everybody at once,'” Rodney chuckled.
“I talked to the producers a lot, and I constantly said, ‘No, I’m good. No, I’m good. Thank you.’ I just didn’t really think it was for me because I just didn’t know how I’d react in that environment. I’m so built on just being a one-woman man. If I’m talking to one woman, all my focus and attention is there.”
Eventually, the prospect of finding love convinced Rodney to take a chance on Paradise. “It took a lot of alumni coming and talking to me,” he said on the podcast. “Talking to other alumni, they’re like, ‘If I didn’t go on, I regretted it, and if I did go on, it was one of the best experiences of my life because I found somebody special or someone else found me through the show.'” After all that, Rodney decided to give Paradise a shot.
Lace and Rodney went through an emotional breakup
Sadly it hasn’t entirely been smooth sailing for Rodney on Bachelor in Paradise. Lace made a surprise return to the beach just as Rodney returned from his date with Eliza. He then had to tell Lace that his connection with Eliza was stronger, and Lace left Paradise in tears.
Bachelor in Paradise Season 8 airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
