'The Bachelor' runner-up Becca Tilley interview: Dating Chris Soules was all a big risk

The Bachelor star Chris Soules dumped Becca Tilley in the process of selecting and proposing to Whitney Bischoff during Monday night's finale of the ABC reality dating show's nineteenth season.


Chris, a 33-year-old farmer from Arlington, IA, chose Whitney, a 29-year-old fertility nurse from Chicago, IL, at the end of his very difficult journey on the show. However, some viewers will argue Chris just picked Whitney because he couldn't get everything he needed out of Becca.

Chris was serious about finding a wife from the start, and when Becca, a 25-year-old chiropractic assistant from San Diego, CA, continued to voice hesitation about potentially raising a family and moving to Arlington, Chris decided Whitney was the better choice for him.

During a Tuesday conference call with reporters, Becca talked about her experience and finishing as the runner-up. Below is a portion of her interview. Click here to read another part and check back with us soon for more.

How do you feel about love in general now since being on the show? And now looking back, do you think you were really in love with Chris?


Becca Tilley: No, I honestly stick with my gut about the fact that I wasn't there yet. Because I've never been in love before, I don't really have much to compare it to, but I think I knew in my gut in that last week that it wasn't right and it wasn't there yet. I think that was kind of where my head was at the end. Maybe I could've gotten there if I had more time, but I wasn't sure about that because I didn't have that.

How do you feel you were different from Whitney?

Becca Tilley: We actually have very similar personalities. I think our place in life and our life experiences are different, I think obviously relationship-wise, she had a lot more experience than I did.

And I think she was ready to get married and have kids, and that is something I want eventually, but it's not what I want to do tomorrow. So, I would say in that way we're different, but I feel like our personalities are actually similar.

You ultimately had reservations about being in Arlington, which that the pivotal moment in your relationship with Chris when you realized you couldn't commit?


Becca Tilley: Going onto the show, I knew that Chris was in Arlington and it's a small town. And going onto the show, my whole thing was that if I met someone and fell in love with them, then I would go anywhere. And I think what it came down to at the end, was the fact that I wasn't in love with him. And therefore, Arlington was not my next step immediately.

And so, I told him. We had a conversation where I said, "Regardless if it was Arlington or anywhere else, I would have to be sure to pick up my life and move somewhere for someone." And Arlington is obviously a very drastic move. But, you know, it would've been the same whether it was a big city or small town.

Looking back on everything now, do you think that there was a moment when maybe you should've pulled out of the show and just said, "I'm not feeling what I think I should be when all these other girls are?" Or are you glad you stayed until the end?

Becca Tilley: You know, I have had this question asked to me several times -- and I'm even asking myself if that would've been a different outcome -- but I think the progression of my feelings as the show went on, I was surprised at.

And so, for me, I really liked him. And I think if you're in a relationship with someone and you like someone and want to see where it goes, he had the choice at the end. He could've continued dating me if he wanted to. So, there was a risk there just like it would've been a risk to choose me and it would've been a risk for us to keep dating and see what happens.


And to stay there and see if that was something he'd even consider [was a risk]. So, I don't know. I don't think anyone who has really strong feelings for someone -- I don't think it would make sense to pull out if those feelings are there. Because you don't know how they're going to progress.

If you had met Chris in the real world with no time constraints and things like that, do you think you and Chris would've ended up engaged and married and possibly living in Arlington? Is he your type of guy?

Becca Tilley: Yeah, he is my type of guy, and like I said, I wouldn't have stayed that long especially knowing that everyone's feelings and relationships were moving so much faster than me. I don't think I would've stayed if there wasn't -- if I didn't see something there, if he wasn't my type of guy.

So, I think that had we met under different circumstances, it could've been different. And if there hadn't been a time constraint, maybe it would've been different, I don't know. I know I said that a lot last night. (Laughs)

Everyone seemed to gang up on Britt Nilsson at The Women Tell All, saying she really wasn't there for the right reasons. Did you see anything like that while you were in the house with her and do you think she should be on The Bachelorette?


Becca Tilley: I really don't have anything bad to say about Britt. She's an amazing person and obviously one of the most beautiful people to ever be on the show, but I think towards the end, it got a little confusing as far as -- you know, we weren't sure where her feelings were for him based on what she was telling us.

And only she knows how she felt and what she said to him and if it was real or not. So, I don't know. I think guys will love Britt. I think I'm interested to see how this new Bachelorette goes. It's never been done before.

Why do you think Chris picked you over Kaitlyn Bristowe in Bali since Kaitlyn had been really open with him about everything?

Becca Tilley: You know, I think when Chris said it was probably the hardest decision for him, I think that might have -- well, obviously the last one -- but up until that point, I knew it was a tough decision for him. I think there was something there for Chris and I that was, I mean, you can tell.

There was something there that I couldn't really explain. There were a lot of times when I opened up and you didn't really see it on the screen. And I think there was a lot of chemistry that we had, and I think when he met my family, there was a connection there. And I think he just had to make a decision and I think he just went with his gut.


Has anybody ever been in love with you and are you dating anyone right now?

Becca Tilley: I don't know if anyone's ever been in love with me! Maybe? (Laughs) I'm not dating anyone right now. Do you know anyone? (Laughs)

Check back with Reality TV World soon for more from Becca Tilley's interview. To read the first part, click here.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski