The Bachelor Turns 10

Chris Harrison (the host on The Bachelor) Top 10 most memorable moments from 10 years of The Bachelor.

Ever since the Bachelor started on March 25, 2002, Christ Harrison has overseen many fights, fantasy suite dates and final roses. He re-lives these moments with us as he recalls the on and off screen moments from the past 10 years.




1. Paging the Paramedics

In Spring 2002, when the Bachelor first premiered, contestant Rhonda Rittenhouse became overwhelmed with the situation and began hyperventilating. Chris Harrison tells us, "I remember being in the control room and all of a sudden, we just heard what sounded like a cat being strangled." "The paramedics came, and we shot it and we rolled on it. Now that's commonplace, but that was the first-ever reality TV moment with an ambulance."

2. The Bachelor Blows Big

When the show first started, it started off as a slow burn but Chris still remembers when the show became a huge phenomenon. He said, "We ended with some 30 million viewers, I think as much or maybe we even beat the Oscars that year." This was after season 2, which starred Aaron Beurge. "That changed my life. That's when I knew I was a part of something much bigger than I had ever been a part of before."


3. First Lady

Trista Rehn was the first Bachelorette to be on the show in 2003. Harrison said, "She's going to be a slut if she kisses everybody and she's going to set women back." (this was Harrison's opinion before it started airing) "It was really controversial and it took a very special women to be the first Bachelorette. Trista-she's the godmother of our series. She's a large part of why we've been around so long."

4. Wedding Fever

Harrison realized the magnitude of the show when Trista and Ryan's wedding in Palm Springs aired in 2003. "I was sitting with Mike Fleiss, the creator of the show, and I just was like, 'Look what we've created," he says. "These people we introduced are getting married and there's helicopters, and people hanging out of helicopters...It was this weird surreal moment."

5. Labor of Love

In the second season of the Bachelorette, Ian McKee proposed to Meredith Phillips, but it was more a personal milestone for Harrison. He told people magazine, "That was huge for me because it happened on December 19, 2003. My wife was in labor that night with my daughter Taylor," he says. "I was doing the final rose...and then two days later, we have our baby girl."

6. The Crying Game

On the Bachelor, season 13 in 2009 was a lasting impression. It was Jason Mesnick's season on the Bachelor. He had just rejected Molly Malaney (but before proposing to Melissa Rycroft) Jason leaned over a rail and sobbed. His anguish was a definite sign of things to come later. Jason's outburst was later known by everybody as 'The Mesnick'.

7. Switch Up

"It's probably the wildest moment that I'll ever live through," Harrison said after the final rose special with Mesnick. Jason broke off his engagement with Melissa Rycroft for Molley Malaney. "The fact that it worked out and they got married--that was the most talked about, the most controversial thing I think that's ever happened on this show, and hopefully, ever will."

8. Battle Royale

Everybody remembers the post-split conversation in 2010 with The Bachelor Jake Pevelka and former fiancee Vienna Girardi. Harrison said, "I promise you, I didn't think it was going to go that way," he said in their meltdown. Vienna Girardi famously labeled her ex a "fame whore". Harrison said, "It was kind of like the perfect storm...the clouds closed up and swallowed us whole, and the rest is Bachelor history."

9. Bentley's Betrayal

Bentley Williams was on Ashley Herbert's season of the Bachelorette. Bentley led her on during the show, while simultaneously insulting her behind her back to the cameras. "It's the one thing that I kind of regret not stopping, stepping in more," Harrison shared. "But that's something that resonates with fans."

10. Forbidden Love

Rozlyn Papa briefly stole the show from Pevelka during the 14th season of the Bachelor. She had embarked in an inappropriate relationship with a show producer, and was disqualified as a result. "They did have a relationship, and it wasn't even alleged, it just happened." Harrison says. "I regret the fact that I didn't go further and really, really hammer her on The Women Tell All, because as you saw, she kind of took advantage and came back and it turned ugly."