Who is Bachelor In Paradise contestant Mikey Tenerelli, and how far does he make it on ABC’s summer reality show? The 32-year-old didn’t find love on Desiree Hartsock’s season of The Bachelorette, but he’s back to try again on BIP .
Mikey lives in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, and attended North Central College in Naperville, where he played college football. He currently works as a plumbing contractor at his family’s business, Caldwell Plumbing, and is a coach at CrossFit Alpha Dog .
Mikey was eliminated on Week 5 on the Bachelorette Season 9, and is now making his reality TV comeback on BIP .
Fans who watched Desiree’s season will remember that he was eliminated after she found out he was talking with contestant James Case about using their fame to “pick up women with money” in Chicago. Drew Kenney and Kasey Stewart overheard the conversation and called both guys out for not being on the show for the right reasons. Once word got back to Desiree, she sent both James and Mikey home.
According to Reality TV World , Mikey was upset because he didn’t get a one-on-one date with Desiree and felt she never got a chance to get to know him. Fortunately for Tenerelli, he will get the chance to date on Bachelor in Paradise , with ABC stating that he has his “priorities in line” this time around and promises “to make a more positive impression.”
Tenerelli is one of 29 cast members who will try to find love on the second season of ABC’s Bachelor spinoff. The show, filmed at the Playa Escondida Resort in Sayulita, Mexico, will start out with 15 cast members with an additional 14 contestants added in throughout the season. One of his castmates from Desiree Hartsock’s season, Dan Cox, is also a contestant on the show.
How far does Mikey make it in Paradise ?
[Spoilers ahead]
Tenerelli will appear on the season premiere on August 2. Spoilers indicate that Mikey’s first date on night one is with Bachelor franchise veteran Clare Crawley , and it involves a rather awkward couples yoga session (similar to the one Carly Waddell went on with Chris Soules). Mikey gives Clare her first rose of the season on the first episode.
According to blogger Reality Steve , things don’t go so well for Mikey on the second episode of the season — he apparently channels his inner Shawn Booth and gets mad at Clare for going on a date with Jared Haibon (Kaitlyn’s season).
Becoming possessive after just one date doesn’t go over well, and he misses out on getting a rose. Clare decides to bypass both Jared and Mikey at the rose ceremony and gives her Episode 2 rose to JJ Lane . Jared is allowed to stay after Ashley Iaconetti gives him a rose, but Mikey has to catch the next flight home.
He won’t be gone for good, though. Look for Mikey to make a surprise on an upcoming episode.
Watch Bachelor in Paradise on Sunday and Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
[Image: ABC]