Juan Pablo Galavis shocked millions of “The Bachelor” viewers on Monday’s Season 18 finale when he failed to propose to his final rose recipient, Nikki Ferrell.
Then – in another uncustomary move – the 32-year-old declined to do any more press, but gave one interview to People explaining why he chose to withhold the 3.5-carat sparkler from Nikki.
“You go on [‘The Bachelor’] thinking if there is the connection, you propose,” the polarizing “Bachelor” told the mag. “But I don’t feel there’s a need to propose to somebody if I don’t feel 100 percent.
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“I didn’t know Nikki. I want to know more, a lot more,” he added.
Nikki, 27, insists she’s happy simply being the soccer player’s girlfriend, even though he couldn’t even bring himself to say he loved her (but did manage to muster a “I like you. A lot.”)
“Had he gotten down on one knee, I absolutely would have said yes. But having a ring on my finger wouldn’t stop us from breaking up,” she told the mag. “What’s going to keep us together is having a real relationship. I’d rather have him propose when he feels it’s right.”
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And Juan Pablo said a lot of his cringe-worthy moments shown on “The Bachelor” were part of a persona created by producers in order to get ratings.
“It’s hard because [viewers] saw a character on TV,” he said. “At lot of things about me were not shown. I’m not a bad guy. People who know me, know who I am.”
-- Erin O’Sullivan
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