About 429 people gathered at Megaplex Theatres at Geneva on Nov. 21 to watch the finale of Provo’s Most Eligible.
Ellie Richards, Bee Eide and Lauren Hunter, along with their team of guys, went through six weeks of dates, drama and decisions. Their final decisions shocked the crowd and the aftermath brought some tears.
“It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience, and I had such a blast,” Richards said.
She saw season one of Provo’s Most Eligible and wanted to be a member of the film crew, but she walked out of her interview as a bachelorette.
“I had no idea what was coming for me,” Richards said.
Richards said being on the show was a different experience for her because she is used to showing her whole self on social media as a YouTuber, but for this show, people only saw part of who she is.
“I just had to learn to be okay with people not knowing my side of the story,” she said.
Richard’s finalists were Scott Anderson and Josue Martinez. She said from the moment she saw Anderson with his red truck on the dating app Mutual, she knew he was her winner.
“He was definitely the best match for me,” she said.
Richards chose Anderson and he surprised her with tickets to Georgia to meet his parents. When they got home from the trip, though, they broke up.
“He broke up with me, but it was pretty mutual. We weren’t the best fit for each other — we were both looking for different things,” Richards said.
Anderson said the biggest lesson he learned through the show is to not judge people based on what you see.
“So little of what actually ended up on camera was actually people kind of in their natural state — people who they really were,” he said.
Despite the relationship not working out, Richards said going through the crazy experience bonded her with the cast and crew and that she made a lot of new friends. She said she would not do it again though.
“If you’re thinking of applying for season three, don’t do it,” Richards said. “It’s a lot more than you think.”
The other bachelorettes agreed that participating in the show was a roller coaster. While they don’t regret doing it, Eide and Hunter both said they would not do it again.
“It was a lot more real than any of us expected,” Eide said.
By the end of the show, Eide said it was a hard decision to choose between her two finalists, Walker Wright and Keaton Hill.
“I like both of them for very different reasons,” she said.
Eide ended up choosing Wright, but their relationship did not last long after the show.
“He was not ready for a relationship,” she said.
After the finale premiered at Megaplex Theatres at Geneva, contestants participated in a “Men Tell All” event, where they shared their perspectives on the show.
During Men Tell All, Wright shared his perspective on the breakup. He said his mother had expressed concern that he and Eide were at different places in life, which got to Wright’s head.
“It almost changed my entire demeanor from the previous episodes and I think that kind of threw everyone in for a loop,” Wright said.
Because of the abrupt break up with Wright, show host Remington Butler asked Hill in the Men Tell All if anything has happened with Eide. Hill expressed his respect and admiration for her, but stated they are just great friends
In an interview with a Daily Universe reporter, Hill said it was difficult being so vulnerable during the second half of the show.
“I did like Bee a lot and I care a lot about her, but it didn’t work out and so that’s okay,” he said.
Lauren Hunter’s final moment also turned into a unique twist. Austin Simkins beat her to the break up. As Simkin’s family met Hunter, his brother-in-law told Simkins to be cautious because he thought Lauren was not invested in him.
Hunter’s second finalist was Jake Nilson. An Instagram poll on Provo Most Eligible’s Instagram story showed fans had Nilsen beating Simkins 72% to 28%. They were right. Hunter chose Nilson and the audience members at the theatre cheered with joy.
“We fell in love, got really serious,” Hunter said. “He was my best friend.”
At the Men Tell All event Hunter said after a trip with Nilson fell through, they started to grow distant and when he came back they talked. Both did not anticipate it was going to be a break up conversation.
“It became clear that what Lauren wanted, what she needed in her life, was very very different from what I wanted and needed,” Nilson said.
Fans walked out of the theatre slightly disappointed because none of the women were still dating the men they chose, but many of them were still excited nonetheless to meet and take pictures with the cast.
Weber State student Paige Anderson started watching the show because she served in the same mission with Collin Ross, the bachelor for the first season. She enjoyed the second season more, though.
“It was just more exciting having three girls and a bunch of guys,” Anderson said. “The way they did things was a lot more interesting, and it kind of kept me hooked.”
She said it was hard to see couples she thought would last not dating anymore.
“I was pretty sad to hear that none of them worked out anymore. In that aspect, it is kind of sad to see, but like they said it’s reality,” Anderson said. “It’s fun for us to see, but that’s their real lives they’re dealing with and so it’s important they do what’s right for them.”
Butler said that this season was great and that there is a possibility of having season three with three bachelors and 30 girls.
The reaction to season two was overwhelming and Butler said he was surprised by the support and that it was enough to sell out a movie theatre for the finale.
“It shattered my wildest dreams,” Butler said.
