The Bachelor

'Bachelor' contestant Victoria F is finally addressing a controversy that's been dogging her for a minute now -- issuing a mea culpa for being part of a 'White Lives Matter' campaign.

The model -- who's currently still in the running for Peter Weber's final rose -- took to social media Saturday with a Notes-written apology for her eyebrow-raising shoot, which she posted on her Instagram story. It says, "I would like to sincerely apologize for my involvement with We Love Marlins. My intention was only to support an endangered species."

She continues in her post, "I want to say that I unequivocally reject the beliefs of the white lives matter movement or any propaganda that supports racism of any kind. I would like to specifically apologize to people of color that are affected by racism daily."

VF finished by saying, "It was never my intention to add fuel to the racial fire in this country. This has truly been an educational moment for me and I hope to be a voice against racism moving forward. I hope I can be shown grace as I navigate through this process."

The timing of her apology is interesting ... as we reported and as 'Bachelor' nation now knows, Victoria is in the final four group of girls who are taking Pete to their hometown.

We knew about the 'WLM' campaign -- which was meant to be a 'BLM' pun to raise awareness about over-fishing white Marlin -- but it went unaddressed as the show continued. About a week ago, however, Cosmo scrapped Victoria from their digital cover because of it.

"The Bachelor" is guilty of a huge fashion faux pas -- or a digital one, anyway -- sloppily covering up bikini bottoms with what looks like Sharpies. Really. It's comical.

If ya missed it ... Monday's episode took Bachelor Peter Weber and his dates to Costa Rica for, among other things, a bikini photo shoot. Problem was ... the girls were apparently dressed too risque for someone -- either 'Bachelor' or ABC honchos. So, as they say, they fixed it in post-production ... by, literally, drawing more material onto their bikinis to cover the butt cheeks!!!

You really gotta see how bad it is to believe it.

When Peter and Sydney took off to a hot tub for a one-on-one date, the cover-up job makes it look like her bikini is 2 sizes too big.

During Lexi's time at a waterfall with Peter, her blue bottom looked ... just off.

The botched editing didn't go unnoticed ... with one hawk-eyed fan calling Victoria F's red bottom a terrible MS Paint job. Then there was Victoria P ... whose yellow bikini was made to look like she had a flap on her backside.

At least with Kelley's, bikini-print bottom editors decided to use the same print and color for the alteration ... but, again, it made it look like she was straight-up wearing an adult diaper. Depends on your perspective.

As for who screwed the pooch -- we've reached out to 'Bachelor' reps. No word back, but seems like a lock no one in post is getting a rose this week.

'Bachelor' contestant Victoria F won a major challenge during this week's episode, but she's not gonna reap the rewards today because of her White Lives Matter past.

ICYMI ... Peter Weber's current batch of ladies competed in a fun competition on Monday night's episode, in which they posed for Cosmo in Costa Rica for the chance to be featured in a future issue. Victoria F won, but Cosmo's had a change of heart.

Cosmo's editor-in-chief, Jessica Pels, wrote a letter Monday night explaining why Cosmo is NOT going to publish a digital cover of their March edition -- which would've had Victoria on the cover -- because she once posed in a "White Lives Matter" hat. The "white" was referring to white marlins.

Pels says she's aware the slogan was a pun to raise awareness about over-fishing white marlins -- but she says that's irrelevant ... the slogan is racist.

She says that's why Cosmo's not gonna give Victoria the pleasure of being published on their site. Their print edition is already in production, and the "Bachelor" shoot -- which includes pics of Victoria -- will be inside. Cosmo wasn't aware of the controversy in time to stop its presses.

'Bachelor' stars Jade Roper Tolbert and her hubby costar, Tanner Tolbert, just lost out on a million bucks from an online betting competition -- and it seems things weren't on the up-and-up ... according to DraftKings.

DraftKings released a statement Saturday saying that -- after a multi-week investigation on claims of cheating and rigging the standings -- they have updated their leader board on the Wild Card competition they held back in early January.

The company stops short of calling Jade and Tanner cheaters or any other such accusation, but it's pretty clear ... they found something fishy in the way they won the top prize.

They say rather ambiguously, "All customers affected by the updated standings will be notified directly. It is our general policy not to comment further on such matters." You'll recall ... Jade and Tanner were accused of being in cahoots to win the million bucks.

They flat-out denied it at the time, telling us in essence ... they're just lucky. But, per those hawkish online gambling wizzes, the 'Bachelor' pair appeared to coordinate their max-out 150 lineups to increase their chances of winning. That's a clear violation of the rules.

'Bachelor' Nation might do a double-take at this -- one of the Victorias from this week's premiere went quite a ways with Peter Weber ... but probably not the one you thought.

The pilot stud was recently spotted hand-in-hand with contestant Victoria Fuller, who made her debut to the show during Monday night's episode kicking off the 24th season, to mixed reviews. Welp, it looks like she stayed in the game long enough for hometowns.

TMZ obtained video taken from this past October showing Peter walking along with the 25-year-old Medical Sales Rep and former model. We're told this was shot in Victoria's stomping grounds of Virginia Beach ... which means she was one of the last 4 girls.

Funny enough, a ton of fans seemed to think Victoria P would actually be one of the final four. It's possible she still is, but we know for sure VF went the distance herself.

Now, in the clip, you see the pair walking their dog, whom we're told is hers and is named Buxton. Later, you see them embracing in a kiss after a live band plays at a bar called The Shack. Clearly, VF left her mark ... even though she comes with some controversy.

As soon as Monday's episode aired, old modeling photos of Victoria F circulated ... showin' her rocking gear for a White Lives Matter campaign on behalf of the White Marlin Marina.  Fact is ... this White Lives Matter is designed to bring awareness to conservation of marlins.

Former 'Bachelor' contestant Jade Roper Tolbert won $1 MILLION in a DraftKings fantasy football event this weekend ... but the victory has triggered an investigation after it appears she may have cheated.

Roper -- who appeared on season 19 of 'Bachelor' and season 2 of "Bachelor in Paradise" -- was participating in DK's Millionaire Maker daily fantasy contest, which involved selecting a lineup of players from the 4 NFL Wild Card games.

Roper submitted 150 entries -- the maximum allowed -- and one of her lineups ended up winning the $1 MILLION top prize. She even bragged about it on social media!

The problem ... fantasy football experts have pointed out an interesting wrinkle -- that her lineups seemed to be coordinated with her husband's 150 entries to maximize their chances of winning.

'Bachelor' star Peter Weber vows not to get trapped by Hollywood's grip after his season airs ... cause flying's the only way he wants to be close to the stars.

Pilot Pete was out Monday morning on his way to "Good Morning America" when he was asked whether he was going to try and parlay his newfound fame into a career in Hollywood or keep piloting.

Pete's answer is pretty refreshing ... considering how MANY of the 'Bachelor' alums do everything they can to stay relevant. There's this guy, this guy and ESPECIALLY this guy.

Lincoln Adim -- "The Bachelorette" contestant who gained notoriety for allegedly concealing his criminal record before joining the show -- has taken a sweet deal that will likely have whole the case dismissed.

Adim -- who was one of Becca's suitors in season 14 -- had originally pled guilty to indecent assault and battery in May 2018 ... just weeks before the show started airing. Adim was accused of groping a woman on a Boston harbor cruise. He got 2 years probation.

As TMZ first reported ... Warner Bros. said Lincoln lied to 'Bachelorette' producers and hid the case from them in order to get on the cast. They found out while season 14 was airing, and Adim was still in the running.

The bad news for Adim is no final rose -- Becca sent him packing in the 6th week. The good news, and more important news, for him is ... right around that same time his conviction was vacated on a technicality involving his GPS monitor.

That meant prosecutors got a do-over, and last week Adim struck a deal. He does not have to plead guilty but will be on probation for 3 months. If he stays away from the woman and keeps his nose clean ... the case will be dismissed after those 3 months.

Losing a reality show, but winning in court ... sounds like a victory overall.

UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman says he's got BIG things lined up for 2020 -- not just in the Octagon -- in fact, he wants to be the next 'Bachelor.'

... and yeah, HE'S SERIOUS!!!

The 32-year-old fighter had a huge year in 2019 -- not only defeating Tyron Woodley to win the welterweight belt but also beating the hell out of Colby Covington in a jaw-breaking performance at UFC 245.

So, how do you top that in 2020? Kamaru's got a plan ...

"I'm gonna blow it out of the water," Usman says ... suggesting he could try his hand at acting or broadcasting.

As for "The Bachelor," Usman first floated the idea back in October ... but now hopes his high-profile win over Colby will help him get on the show!

Chris Soules seems ready to put his recent past behind him ... showing face in Hollywood for the first time since he was busted for fleeing the scene of a fatal crash.

The former 'Bachelor' was out Friday night at KIIS FM's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in L.A., where he certainly didn't shy away from the cameras ... posing for pics as he went in with a full smile on his face. It's his first major public appearance in Tinsel Town since 2017.

While it might've looked like a comeback attempt, Chris told ET he wasn't attempting to return to the spotlight ... and that he was just tagging along with other 'Bachelor' pals.

You'll recall ... Chris was arrested in April 2017 after cops said he'd rammed his pickup truck into a John Deere tractor and sent the driver flying into a ditch. The man ultimately died.

Chris stuck around on the scene until EMTs showed, but bounced before the police could arrive. They caught up to him later at his house and made the arrest. Just earlier this year, Chris finally accepted a plea deal from prosecutors that kept him out of jail.

He was handed down a 2-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury ... an aggravated misdemeanor.

Tyler Cameron is not concerned about things like potentially being tapped to be a TV 'Bachelor,' or his new It guy status ... he's just focused on Tyler's status.

The heartthrob model and former 'Bachelorette' contestant was at LAX Monday afternoon when he got peppered with questions about his love life -- a hot topic in Hollywood lately as his list of hot dates grows.

As we've reported ... he's gone from Hannah Brown to Gigi Hadid, and he's been recently linked to Kylie Jenner's pal, Stassie Karanikolaou.

Cameron doesn't seem like he really wants to talk about it, though. Like a true playa, he's trying to downplay the fact he's kind of a big deal right now.

Instead, he gives props to Peter Weber -- the current 'Bachelor' -- and says he's still trying to figure out all the other stuff people want to know ... just like the rest of us.

As for Stassie ... he doesn't want to divulge much about that situation either.

Two of reality TV's biggest factions came together in L.A. this week -- the Kardashian-Jenners are mixing with guys from "The Bachelorette" ... and they're all looking pretty chummy.

Kendall and some of her girlfriends -- including Stassie Karanikolaou -- all hit up the Rams game Monday night, and at one point ... a bunch of fellas who've been booted in "The Bachelorette" world showed up and joined down in their private, enclosed area.

Tyler Cameron, Peter Weber (the current 'Bachelor') and Dylan Barbour from 'BiP,' as well as some other dudes and other gals were all enjoying a front-row view to the blow-out.

Later on, it looks like at least a few of these pretty people stuck together and met up with Kylie to hit the town -- bouncing around to different clubs in WeHo, including The Nice Guy and Poppy.

We ended up getting Tyler and Stassie leaving the former together, and it all but confirms what we saw this weekend ... a very likely new couple. Paps tried peppering them with questions, but they stayed quiet and hopped into the backseat of a waiting car.

Eventually, the whole gang landed at Poppy to wrap-up the night -- where Tyler and Stassie were yet again seen hanging off each other's hip. Kylie was there too, and while waiting for their rides in the garage ... she got in (and lost) a few games of roshambo with a dude.

Tyler Cameron went from Hannah Brown to Gigi Hadid, and now ... on to possibly one of Kylie Jenner's best friends. Talk about a hot streak, huh?

The former 'Bachelorette' contestant and heartthrob model was in L.A. Friday, catching the Clippers game at Staples Center and then later ... hitting up the club in WeHo.

TMZ obtained footage of Ty getting close to a smokin' hot blonde in Hyde, whom he later wrapped up in his big hunky arms and brought in for a kiss -- maybe a butt grab too. There's no question it's him playing Romeo, but the big question is ... who's Juliet.

Based on some circumstantial evidence we've combed through, it appears this might very well be Kylie's good pal Anastasia Karanikolaou ... otherwise known on IG as Stassiebaby.

She's in Kylie's circle of friends and often tags along for girls' trips across the world with KJ and co. More importantly though, she was also at the Clippers game last night in a private box -- and appears to have been wearing something very similar to our mystery chick here.

At least from the upper half,  anyway ... which seems to resemble Stassie's outfit for the night. Besides that, eyewitnesses are telling us it definitely looked like AK to them. Our sources say Tyler and this gal showed up together around midnight, grabbed a table and were pretty much inseparable the whole time until they left around 1:30 AM.

Mike Fleiss says he and his wife have buried the hatchet and are on the road to reconciliation after a nasty divorce ensued between them this summer.

The 'Bachelor' creator tweeted out the news in a statement Sunday, saying ... "Happy to report that @FleissLaura and I have reconciled. I love my wife and am grateful for this opportunity to work on our marriage... Thanks for the support, #BachelorNation!"

His wife, Laura Kaeppeler, echoed that sentiment with her own Twitter account -- which she seems to have created in the past few days -- and even elaborated a bit by saying both she and Mike had made poor decisions that she labeled as "immature" and "irresponsible."

She went on to say that an emotionally charged incident over the summer led to a situation they both regret -- seemingly referencing the alleged attack she initially claimed Mike inflicted upon her -- but also denied that Mike had intentionally tried hurting her.

Laura writes, "We both take full responsibility for our actions and have worked very hard to repair the damage to our relationship and family and are working together with the help of a marriage counselor to rebuild what we lost. I love @fleissmeister and our kids very much. We appreciate your support at this time." They both retweeted each other.

This is a complete 180 from what looked to be a bitter and acrimonious divorce case just a few months ago -- when Mike claimed that Laura had violated the terms of their agreed-upon $10 million settlement by taking their kid to Hawaii and going off the radar.

Mike said Laura was allowed to go live in Hawaii, but was supposed to set up appointments with a psychologist, and alleged she never did that ... cutting off all communication and dashing Fleiss' hopes of co-parenting. She fired back  though, saying he was a bully and called her several bad names, while also making it difficult to co-parent.

This, of course, comes after they originally struck the big divorce settlement -- which led to Laura dropping a domestic violence restraining order she'd taken out against Mike.

Amanda Stanton has a new man in her life ... and the guy she's hanging with is fresh off a separation from his estranged wife, Morgan Stewart.

We're told the "Bachelor in Paradise" star and "Rich Kids of Beverly Hills" star Brendan Fitzpatrick started seeing each other about a month ago after meeting through mutual friends. He lives in L.A. and she lives in the OC but they make the hour-long commute work.

Might not seem like a long-distance relationship, but L.A. peeps know it's a bear.

Anywho ... we're told Amanda and Brendan, a high-end real estate agent, were spotted over the weekend holding hands at Nobu Newport Beach. Brendan and Morgan split back in August after 3 years of marriage, and 6 years together.

Tyler Cameron's not crying a river over Gigi Hadid following their break-up ... thanks to a soft landing in a new high-rise apartment that looks a lot like bachelor heaven.

We're told the ex-'Bachelorette' star moved into the swanky One Manhattan Square downtown NYC luxury condos ... a brand-new, 847-foot-tall tower with 72 floors that offer sweeping skyline views. And, that's just the beginning.

It's easy to see why Tyler went berserk after moving in ... the building offers world-class amenities: a bowling alley, cigar room, adult tree house, 75-foot swimming pool, 24-hour doorman/concierge, dry cleaning, valet, wine room, theater room and golf simulator. Siiiiiiick.