After Cassie Randolph surprised fans with an appearance on the Bachelor season finale earlier this month, she joined Kaitlyn Bristowe for a candid interview about her reality past — and her off-camera future.
“I don’t think I even meant to not do it,” the Bachelor alum, 26, said during the Tuesday, March 22, episode of the “Off the Vine” podcast, explaining why she hasn’t talked much about her time on the ABC series. “I think it just kind of happened that way. … If they ever wanted me to, like, make an appearance like the other night, it was super fun. So, I was like, ‘Of course,’ but it just never really comes up.”
Before her appearance on the March 15 finale of Clayton Echard‘s season, Randolph had stayed quiet about her time on the show. Colton Underwood chose her as the winner in season 23, which aired in 2019, and the duo dated until May 2020.
The California native later filed a temporary restraining order against the former football player, 30, alleging that he stalked and harassed her. The restraining order was dropped in November 2020, and five months later, Underwood came out as gay.
During her interview with Bristowe, 36, Randolph claimed that her ex didn’t give her a heads up about the Good Morning America appearance where he revealed his sexuality. “I found out the same way that everyone else did,” she explained, adding that she saw a video about the news on social media. “It was horrible.” (Underwood announced his engagement to Jordan C. Brown in February.)
Randolph’s appearance on the Bachelor finale marked the first time she’d spoken about her time on the show. “I feel like people were so shocked that I was on,” she told Bristowe. “I would love to know why people thought it was such a big deal.”
During the episode, the Biola University graduate told host Jesse Palmer that she saw similarities between her time on the show and Susie Evans‘ situation with Echard, 28. The wedding videographer, also 28, decided to leave in the fantasy suites episode after learning that the Missouri native had been intimate with the other two finalists. Randolph similarly left the show before Underwood sent his other two finalists home to win her back.
“I definitely was having déjà vu watching this, for sure,” the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire alum said during the finale. “I think the fact that Susie left in the first place just kind of shows, you know, she really stuck with her intuition and was right — as hard as it was, she had to leave.”
Randolph added that she hoped Evans didn’t feel any “pressure” to reunite with Echard if he tried to win her back — which he did. The duo revealed during the finale that they got back together after filming ended.
“When she initially came on the show, she wanted to find something,” Randolph said. “I just hope that she sticks with her intuition.”
Keep scrolling for more revelations from Randolph’s appearance on “Off the Vine.”