Bachelorette’s suitor Jonathan Johnson is looking back at what he’d do differently if sent back in time with Jenn Tran.
“I’ve never been good at validating my own feelings — I think a lot of people struggle with validating their own feelings,” he told People in a recent interview. “And I’ve found that on the show, especially with Jenn’s help,” he added,
Despite not getting the final rose from Jenn, Jonathan noted how the show made him realise what needs work following his elimination.
“So I think, moving forward, I’m just going to be like, ‘Hey, do you love this person? Do you like this person? Are you sad? Are you happy? What do you want out of this?’ And just allowing for myself to feel whole,” the reality star noted.
Jonathan regretted not communicating his emotions earlier when he took Jenn home to meet his family, especially when he knew America was watching him.
“But then going there, I think having my hometown and getting to introduce my family to Jenn was the eyeopening piece that I needed to help myself get there,” he adds, referring to using the word “love” with her.
During last week’s episode, after telling Jenn, “I don’t want to say ‘love’ if I’m not fully there,” Jenn demanded clarity regarding his emotions and that’s when he expressed through his actions by introducing her to his parent, except that he just didn’t express with words even then.
Jonathan only said the magical words, “Jennifer Tran, I am falling for you,” later when he opened up in the interview.
He also confessed the first impression his parents had of her before even getting to watch the show.
“It was just my fault that I couldn’t get those feelings further,” he adds, noting: “[My family] had nothing but great things to say.
“And honestly, since it’s aired, and obviously they know that I’m not with her, they’ve been bummed. They’re like, ‘We loved her. She was incredible. We could’ve seen you guys having an amazing life together.’”
However, Jonathan still has a window for making up for his love life before the public in the upcoming season of Bachelor in Paradise, which he spoke of on the Men Tell All special on August 27.
He also confessed he has never seen BiP, and hadn’t even watched The Bachelor or The Bachelorette until he found out he was cast.
Going forward, He also revealed that he is going to start doing some research about his potential new love interests.