The Bachelor

"Bachelorette" contestant Josh Seiter says he's getting much-needed help to get a handle on his mental health after receiving an onslaught of hate following claims his Instagram was hacked after a post announcing his death was published on the account.

Seiter made the announcement Monday, telling followers he's logging off social media for good -- and checking into a wellness facility to address his mental health struggles.

Seiter says, "For the last month I've received hundreds of hateful messages and unending harassment related to my account being hacked. I wish I was stronger but I can't take any more ..."

He continues, "I am losing my phone in the next hour. I love you all. To the people sending me death threats, you win."

It was August 28 when a post went live on Seiter's account announcing his death. Many believed the post to be true, and tons of media outlets published the story. It was more than 24 hours later when Josh announced he was actually alive and his account had been hacked.

The reality contestant's story raised a lot of eyebrows, with many wondering why it took him so long to change the narrative and announce he was OK.

Josh Seiter says he didn't correct the fake death post about him for a full 18 hours because his priority was figuring out who hacked into his Instagram account ... it's all very puzzling.

The ex-'Bachelorette' star appeared on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we peppered him with questions about the long, long period of radio silence ... both from him and his family.

Josh says he was trying to manage a ton of texts and calls from concerned friends/family, which raises the question ... why didn't someone he called tell media outlets -- including TMZ -- the death post was a hoax?

Fact is ... we called Josh just after the death announcement was posted, but didn't get a call back until the next day. We also called family members, and they either hung up or said "no comment."

He recognizes he's going to get scrutinized, but he says he handled it the best way he knew how and is standing firm -- he was hacked.

If Tom Brady ever wants to add another ring to his collection, he's a perfect candidate for "The Bachelor" ... so says the dating show's host, Jesse Palmer, who tells TMZ Sports the G.O.A.T. would be a "legendary" lead.

The former NFL quarterback and Season 5 star of the ABC series believes there are actually a couple signal-callers who could go from throwing the pigskin to handing out roses -- Brady, Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud.

In fact, Palmer says the handsome Chargers standout would be a "producer's dream" ... 'cause they could pay for all the dates and trips throughout the season with help of his $262 million contract!!

"You actually could not script a better setup," Palmer says. "That would be incredible for ratings, and also amazing for our budget."

Herbert has kept his dating life pretty private ... and despite a few rumors, he hasn't gone public with anyone during his NFL career.

Same goes for Stroud ... so Palmer thinks the No. 2 overall pick to the Houston Texans could also thrive in finding love as he kicks off his NFL career.

Brady has gotten back in the dating game after his divorce from Gisele Bündchen was finalized last October ... and was recently spotted enjoying his time with model Irina Shayk.

But Palmer says the 7-time Super Bowl champion gets his stamp of approval to be on the show ... as long as Irina gives the go-ahead as well.

"There is the Irina Shayk issue," Palmer adds. "But if she's willing to kind of just chill out for a couple months of filming, I think we're solid."

Palmer says the show could film at any of Brady's houses ... which would also be a huge positive.

"Again, very budget-friendly. Tom Brady would be good."

We also talked to Jesse about College Colors Day coming up on Friday ... and he breaks down how fans and alums can show school pride ahead of the new season, and score a chance to win tickets to the national championship game in the process.

'Bachelorette' contestant Josh Seiter, who was always open and honest about his struggles with mental health has died.

A statement posted to Josh's Instagram Monday reads, "It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua's unexpected passing. As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world."

They continue, "His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone. Although our heartache at Joshua's passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort knowing that he is finally at peace."

The statement does not reveal Joshua's cause of death but includes a phone number for people to call who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.

Josh has always posted about his issues with mental health, and just 4 days ago posted a photo smiling with the caption, "Surviving depression and anxiety one day at a time with a smile."

He's been extremely open and honest about his struggles over the years, at one point taking to social media to write, "I’m Josh Seiter, and I’m a suicide attempt survivor. I battle OCD, Bipolar Depression, and GAD, but I refuse to give up. What did you survive?"

Josh appeared on Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of "The Bachelorette" back in 2015, and was eliminated on week 1.

Josh was 36.

"The Bachelorette" alum Kaitlyn Bristowe is opening up about her split from Jason Tartick ... and she's hinting at the possibility of a second chance between them.

Kaitlyn shared her post-breakup thoughts Monday at LAX, admitting she's holding up alright in the days following their called-off engagement ... and says it's been easier because they have so much respect for each other.

She was asked who made the call to split up, and says it was a mutual decision ... but then quickly raises this interesting possibility -- she says all hope for reconciliation isn't lost, and the door "isn't permanently closed."

As for their 2 dogs, Ramen and Pinot, Kaitlyn says she'd take full ownership if it was up to her ... but admits she and Jason are happily co-parenting the pups, for now.

You'll recall, Kaitlyn and Jason announced their breakup Sunday on social media, saying they'd called off their engagement after 4 years together.

Jason Aldean's new controversial song is anything but racist, and is simply being twisted into something it's not -- so say Shawn Booth and Chuck Wicks.

The "Bachelorette" alum and country star were chatting on the former's podcast -- "In the Booth with Shawn Booth" -- and they started talking politics, touching on how divided the country is. Eventually, they landed on the topic of Aldean's track, "Try That In a Small Town."

Chuck was quick to defend the song and its underlying message, which he says is incorrectly being labeled as hateful toward Black people -- arguing that couldn't be further from the truth.

Instead, he thinks it's just a song about solidarity in a community -- and the reason Jason used BLM looting footage is because it's the clearest, most recent example of storefronts and small businesses being destroyed en masse ... which Wicks says was objectively criminal and wrong.

He also says people quick to assign this to race are probably racists themselves.

Shawn pretty much cosigns everything Chuck says here, and they both agree the folks involved in writing the song and shooting the music video -- most of whom they know -- are not bigoted whatsoever.

Wick and Booth end up concluding the Aldean saga is just a microcosm of a larger issue of extremism in America right now -- where things are either black or white, or this and that. It's worth noting that Wicks is married to Jason's sister, Kasi Williams Morstad ... so, his opinion's hardly unbiased.

"The Bachelorette" alums Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick have said their goodbyes ... calling it quits on their engagement after 4 years together.

They announced the split in a joint statement, posted on Instagram Sunday ... saying they're "saddened with heavy hearts to share that we have decided to end our engagement," breaking the news after filling in family and close friends.

Kaitlyn and Jason say they're thankful for those that gave them "time and space to process the life-altering decision as there are many emotions and changes to navigate."

They add they'll be co-parenting their 2 dogs, Ramen and Pinot ... and say they'll be remaining friends despite the breakup -- writing, "We feel grateful to be ending our engagement with love and respect for each other," adding it's "heartbreaking" to say goodbye.

Fans of the show remember Kaitlyn first appeared on Chris Soules' season of "The Bachelor," then returned to "The Bachelorette" the same year as the season's lead. As for Jason, he was on Becca Kufrin's season in 2018.

Kaitlyn and Jason met in 2019 when he jumped on an episode of her "Off the Vine" podcast -- they started dating that same year and announced their engagement in May of 2021.

"The Bachelor" star Zach Shallcross is already over his reality TV stint, and attempting something rarely seen in Hollywood -- he hoping to trade in his on-camera lifestyle for an average Joe's job.

Zach tells us he wants to have a real career again ... saying it all boils down to wanting a sense of normalcy, which obviously has changed since doing reality TV. He says even while filming the show last year, he had thoughts of getting back to a normal life.

After starring on "The Bachelor," Zach says he was making appearances on behalf of the show, but now he's got time on his hands, and he's on the hunt for a job.

Before 'The Bachelor,' he was a tech exec at Oracle and Zach says he still wants to work in that industry ... for a company like Microsoft. He's posted on LinkedIn and says he's already had a ton of folks reach out with job offers.

Bachelor Nation first met Zach on season 19 of "The Bachelorette" ... and then he was THE guy for season 27 of "The Bachelor," which aired earlier this year. He wound up proposing to Kaity Biggar on the finale, and they're still together.

ZS makes it clear ... he didn't go on the show to take advantage of fame, but to actually find love. Now, he's ready to get back to basics with a 9 to 5.

Colton Underwood just tied the knot with his boyfriend of about 2 years -- and it looks like they did it in beautiful wine country.

The former 'Bachelor' star -- who came out as gay in 2021 -- married political strategist Jordan C. Brown Saturday at the Carneros Resort and Spa in Napa Valley ... with the nuptials going down in front of about 200 guests, according to People Mag.

On the day of, Colton and Jordan hosted a disco-themed pool party as part of their reception -- which CU revealed to People as well. Both grooms were rocking Tom Ford suits.

The actual venue/setting of the wedding was pretty stunning -- it was outdoors and surrounded by greenery, wither their altar overlooking a vineyard. Colton says, "We wanted to break some of the traditional norms of what a ceremony and a wedding look like."

He also acknowledged the fact that their guests might not have seen two men say "I do" before -- adding, "And for the entire weekend we recognize that a lot of people attending, both of our families and some of our friends, this will be their first queer wedding."

Ever since Colton's momentous 'GMA' interview ... he and Jordan have been tied at the hip, vacationing together and posting tons of loving photos documenting their relationship.

Prior to this ... Colton had gone through 3 different 'Bachelor' shows -- and his virginity was the focal point of each season he was featured on, which resulted in a lot of ups and downs.

Before this smiling boy was a fitness app owner and collecting red roses on "The Bachelor," he was just playing basketball, sitting on his momma's lap and cheesin' for the camera, while growing up in San Diego, California.

Walking out of the limo with his side-swept hair, he made his reality television debut on Hannah Brown's season of "The Bachelorette" and although he wasn't so lucky in finding love the first go-around, he headed off to "Bachelor in Paradise" and ended up on one knee!

Need one more clue? He was spotted at Coachella, weekend 1, with his fiancé Hannah Godwin!

Before this cute kid with kitchen spoons was serving up his curly hair and dimples in paradise, he was just hangin' with his siblings in Nashville, Tennessee and earning his broadcast journalism degree at University of Mississippi.

First appearing on JoJo Fletcher's season of "The Bachelorette," Bachelor Nation fell in love with his charming disposition and humor, and he took his talents to hosting radio and TV shows. He even has his own podcast with Brandi Cyrus.

Still unsure who this cute kid is? Sarah Hyland may be able to give you some clues!

Josh Murray has high hopes for a new 'Bachelor' spinoff about senior citizens finding love ... and he laid out some compelling reasons why the show might be better with older folks.

We got the 'Bachelorette' and "Bachelor in Paradise" alum at LAX, where gave us an insider's perspective on the upcoming series, "The Golden Bachelor".

ICYMI, "The Bachelor" producer, Mike Fleiss recently announced the new series is in the works, and that, naturally, created a lot of curiosity within Bachelor nation.

Josh tells us he's all in for the new show because, in his words ... old people need loving too, and there's a better chance they'll find it on a reality show than younger people.

Josh's prediction is the series will be a lot more genuine as older bachelors and bachelorettes won't be out for fame or money ... and will actually sign up just to find love.

He also thinks the hometown visit episodes would get a fun new twist -- instead of meeting parents, suitors can get the stamp of approval from kids or even grandkids!

And, don't get him started on the fantasy suites episode -- he's envisioning a stash of little blue pills.😂

Bill Maher is OLD-SCHOOL -- he says men as a group are like heat-seeking missiles when it comes to sex, whereas women prioritize communication as an entry point. He thinks women got the short end of the stick over the last 10 years, but it's changing.

The "Real Time" host delivered his Valentine's Day message Friday night, grousing that the phone has been used by men to satisfy their basic instinct ... and women have played along.

Bill generalizes that women like communication ... something that just doesn't happen when the options are either "yes" or "next."

But he says there's a new/old trend -- courting people in person -- and it's kinda hilarious. Markets that have narrow isles so people can feel each other's energy.  His Home Depot story may piss off lots of people, but in fairness, it's really funny.

Anyone looking to watch hard-hitting football should've tuned in to a dating show instead of the Pro Bowl ... so says ex-NFL star Shawne Merriman, who tells TMZ Sports he was blown away after watching "Bachelor" contestants duke it out on the gridiron.

In case you missed it, Lights Out and Antonio Gates coached up Zach Shallcross' ladies for a full-contact football game (dubbed the "Bachelor Bowl") during last week's episode ... with the winning team getting extra time with the bachelor.

We spoke with Merriman about his appearance on the popular show ... and he says he was shocked to find out the ladies were going to play REAL football.

"I thought it was gonna be like a two-hand touch, flag football kinda thing," Shawne told us in Phoenix. "I had no idea it was like a real game."

Of course, the NFL recently decided to switch the annual Pro Bowl to a flag football format ... which has fans split on whether it's as entertaining.

One thing's for sure -- Merriman says anyone tuning in to "Bachelor" got their fix of big hits and brutal blows.

"The Bachelor game was more physical than the Pro Bowl, which is crazy!!"

Merriman said he got to know all the women competing for Zach's love ... and admits "he's gonna have a problem" because every candidate is a great pick.

"He's gonna have a real issue."

Shawne -- who went to three Pro Bowls during his career -- went into detail about the NFL's all-star game ... and he said the event simply isn't as big of a deal as it used to be.

"It's unfortunate," Merriman said. "I hate to sound old school or sound like one of the older guys, but when we went to the Pro Bowl, it meant something. You wanted to showcase your talent. You were the best at that position."

Rachel Recchia is NOT back with Clayton Echard ... despite the 'Bachelor' stars suggesting their romance was alive and well in a recent video.

We got Rachel in Bev Hills where our photog asked if she was back together with Clayton, this after they seemed very cozy -- he had his arm around Rachel in "Bachelorette" Michelle Young's TikTok post.

While Rachel made it seem like things between Clayton and her were super complicated in the social media clip, the real story is different -- she tells us they're just friends.

As 'Bachelor' fans know, Clayton broke Rachel's heart in season 26 ... with Clayton confessing he slept with her and Gabby Windey before leaving both behind in favor of Susie Evans.

Rachel says it's taken a lot of time and a lot of healing to get over such a public diss.

Before this serious chick with a perfect smize turned into a television personality and a "Dancing With The Stars" champ, she was just posing in her white tee, dancing her little heart out, and growing up in Leduc, Canada.

As a fan fave on "The Bachelor" ... this blue-eyed babe eventually took charge as "The Bachelorette" back in 2015. Today, she enjoys spending time with her two goldens, making TikToks (mainly sticking to the dance trends) and she lets her bubbly personality shine through wherever she goes!

Need one more clue? She loves a good glass of wine!