The Bachelor Ben Higgins and contestant Lauren Bushnell go on their first one-on-one date on Monday and it won’t be their last. Higgins revealed in his blog that Lauren took his breath away when she stepped out of the limousine on night one. By the end of their first date on Week 3, fans will see that he is completely smitten with the 25-year-old flight attendant.
“When that first door opened and Lauren B. got out, I knew she was there for me because wow! Just wow,” Ben wrote in his People blog. “She took my breath away but also just eased my nerves with how normal it was to meet her in such an abnormal circumstance.”
ABC’s preview of Ben and Lauren’s first date show them in a small plane headed for the first part of their date. It appears to be in the middle of nowhere, but spoilers indicate that filming took place right outside of L.A. in the Malibu area. Fortunately, there’s a hot tub there, because every episode of the Bachelor needs at least one date with shirtless Ben and a girl in a bikini.
Ben and Lauren B. take it to a whole new level. https://t.co/TSkK019EgG
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) January 15, 2016
When the show was filming back in the fall, a fan snapped a photo (below) of Ben driving in L.A. with Lauren, so it looks like they won’t just sit in a hot tub for the entire date. Whatever they did on their date went well — spoilers indicate that Lauren gets a rose.
Bachelor Ben on a one on one. Just him, some blonde & a camera crew. @benhiggi @TheBachelorTV Photo by @brookebphotos pic.twitter.com/rE3HLubMNU
— Dorothy Lucey (@DorothyLucey) October 1, 2015
Last week, Lauren was one of four girls who didn’t get to go on a one-on-one date or a group date. Instead, they sat around the Bachelor mansion hoping that they would make the cut at the rose ceremony and continue on for another week.
Fortunately for Lauren B., Ben spent time with her during the Week 2 cocktail party, even giving her a photo of their first conversation together during the premiere. Ben gave Lauren the photo as a reminder that he was still thinking about her even if she didn’t get a date last week.
The photo that Ben gave Lauren should serve as a clue to fans who are keeping a Bachelor bracket — most leads tend to give something sentimental (like a photo from a date) to the girl or girls they are most interested in, but that normally doesn’t happen until the overnight dates at the end of the season.
[Spoilers ahead]
The rose Lauren receives on her one-on-one date on Week 3 means she will be sticking around for another week and will have no worries about getting ditched at the Week 3 rose ceremony. If spoilers are correct, that won’t be the last rose Ben gives her.
Although Jimmy Kimmel predicts that contestant JoJoe Fletcher will get Ben’s final rose, Reality Steve is confident that she will end up as the runner-up and Lauren Bushnell will end up with the engagement ring and the guy.
Steve states that Ben’s interest in Lauren became “obvious” to the rest of the girl half way through the season. During filming, Ben supposedly makes it “pretty clear” to the others that Lauren would end up as his final pick, so the previews that show him stressing out because he’s “in love with two women” may be edited to keep fans guessing.
“This season has essentially been over since about halfway through. Ben has been pretty clear about wanting Lauren in the end, so much so that it’s apparently become obvious to the rest of the group.”
Watch the Bachelor on Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
[Image via Rick Rowell/ABC Television Network]