Every ‘Bachelor’ Star Who Didn’t Propose on the Show: Mel Owens, More

Sorry, Neil Lane — not every Bachelor decided to get down on one knee during their respective finales of the ABC dating series.

Former host Chris Harrison addressed the pressure for the lead to propose during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in May 2018.

“People need to know that nothing is guaranteed. There is no contract and there isn’t pressure from the cast or crew,” Harrison told the outlet. “I like the fact that the show promises nothing. We ask nothing and we promise nothing. It’s all up to you. It’s free will. It’s a scary way to produce a show. All shows have a beginning, middle and end. Well our show doesn’t promise that. You don’t have to. You can walk away.”

Harrison added that he personally doesn’t care if the season ends with a proposal. Even when the series does end an engagement, the commitment doesn’t always stick — and several former stars have spoken out about where their rocks ended up.

“[We were together for] 18 months and the reason I know that so well is because I remember they wanted to, like, take my engagement ring away. And I was like, ‘No, this is part of my history, like, this is mine, you cannot have it!’” Ali Fedotowsky recalled on Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast in 2020 about ex Roberto Martinez. “Per the contract, it was supposed to be two years, but they let me keep it. … I was like, ‘You’re not taking this from me, like, I’m keeping it.’ I put my foot down. And then they were fine with it. They understood when I, like, broke it down.”

Scroll through to revisit every Bachelor who didn’t propose on the show: