Kaitlyn Bristowe Says Producers ‘Sexualized’ Nick Viall to Her: ‘I Was Brainwashed’

Kaitlyn Bristowe, 37, opened up about her relationship with Nick Viall, 42, during an appearance on the “Not Skinny but Not Fat” podcast on Tuesday, January 31. In the interview, The ABC star spoke candidly about her time as the star of “The Bachelorette” in 2015 and revealed producers “sexualized” Viall to her during private conversations.

Here’s what you need to know:

Kaitlyn Says Producers ‘Brainwashed’ Her

Bristowe made headlines in 2015 after she slept with Viall during a one-on-one date.

The former lead spoke about the experience on the “Not Skinny but Not Fat” podcast, telling host Amanda Hirsch she felt “brainwashed” by producers.

“They really sexualized Nick to me,” she said. “There was one producer — I’ve never even said this, you get the exclusive — one producer actually said to me, after I would kiss him, she’d come in and like wipe my lips and, like, lick her lips and be like, ‘Oh, I just want to know what that tastes like — to, like, make out with Nick.’”

“They really, like, put [him] on a pedestal to me,” she added. “That was part of their tactic. I was brainwashed.”

The “Off the Vine” host also revealed that Viall had a sexual energy during her season of “The Bachelorette.”

“He was very sexual with me,” she revealed. “He really made me feel desired. He was really sexual.”

Kaitlyn on Her Current Relationship With Nick

On the January 31 episode, Bristowe also touched on her current relationship with Viall. The 37-year-old called out her ex for dragging her on his podcast “The Viall Files.”

“He did a podcast not too long ago where he was kind of dragging me for stringing him along on “The Bachelorette,” she said. “He was kind of calling me selfish.”

Bristowe told Hirsch that his statement struck her as “weird” because she thought they were friends.

The podcast Bristowe was referring to was the October 3, 2022 episode of “The Viall Files,” where Viall helped a fan navigate a dating dilemma by using his relationship with Bristowe as an example.

Viall reflected on his time with Bristowe, telling fans he was heartbroken when Bristowe chose Shawn Booth over him.

“In the moment, I was really upset. [I was] really angry at her,” he said.

The “Don’t Text Your Ex” author said that, at the time, he felt that Bristowe was “really selfish” for the way she handled their split, telling fans he felt like a pawn in her love story.

Bristowe responded to Viall’s remarks on the “Not Skinny but not Fat” podcast, telling Hirsh she thought her ex’s words were “kind of mean.” However, Bristowe did say she is happy for Viall and his fiance Natalie Joy. Viall asked Joy to marry him in January 2023.

“I am genuinely happy for them because they seem legitimately meant for each other,” she said. “I believe in their love.”

Season 27 of “The Bachelor” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on ABC.

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