'The Bachelor' runner-up Becca Tilley interview: Watching the finale was way harder than I thought it would be

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 the concluding portion of her interview. Click here and here to read more.

Would you have accepted a proposal from Chris or would you have pulled a Juan Pablo and held back on things of that nature until you were ready?


Becca Tilley: Well, in our last conversation that we had the night before, I told him that I was not ready to say yes to a proposal. So, that was -- in my head I assumed it was off the table for him to do that because I, you know, expressed those feelings to him.

So, I was hoping that at the end, if he chose me, that it would be a mutual agreement it was to date and see where things went. Because that's what I had expressed to him the night before.

Would you be open to joining Bachelor in Paradise?

Becca Tilley: You know, I don't know if I would be a good fit on Bachelor in Paradise. I think it's an even more rushed process. I know some people have found love and really great people have found love on there, but I don't know if it would be something I would be able to find love with.

If it didn't happen in two months, I don't know if a shorter amount of time would work for me either. (Laughs) At the beginning of the show, you expressed hesitancy to fall in love and you had seemed like you didn't want to get hurt.


I'm just wondering if there was a specific incident in your past or something that happened in your past that made you afraid of falling in love and/or getting hurt?

Becca Tilley: You know, one of the things I really learned about myself on the show was that I'm a very confident person, but in relationships, I think that's where my insecurity is. And in the last relationship I was in, it was very on and off. And so, every time it went off, I think another wall went up. I think that's what caused my hesitancy to open up and be vulnerable.

I saw you tweeted recently that it was going to take a lot more than a great date and a fantasy suite. So many people favored it; It was so funny. What did you think of the feedback and were you nervous to put yourself out there like that?

Becca Tilley: You know, I think it was so funny because my decision to wait is, you know, something that -- I'm 26-years-old. So, in my head, I'm laughing watching because I'm thinking, "Okay, it's going to take more." I mean, it was a great date and we were in a beautiful spot, but after 26 years and there's two other women involved, it was just going to take a little bit more.

So I think because on the show they focused so much on that and it was such a serious subject, that for me, it was kind of like, "Hey, I'm serious about the decision I made, but we can joke about it and it doesn't have to be this huge topic." I kind of just wanted to show my humor a little bit.


It was hard watching Chris in the finale because he was so torn between the two of you. What were the emotions you were going through while watching him really struggle with the decision?

Becca Tilley: I have to say it was way harder watching last night than I thought it was going to be. Like I had no idea I was going to feel that way after watching it and be so -- I just remember watching it last night, thinking, "That was really sad and really hard to watch."

I only have seen my part, because that's what they showed me, so I know there was a happy ending and there was a happy part of it too, but it kind of brought me back to those feelings that I felt that week going into it.

It was a sadness knowing that, I think going into that night, we had had our last talk knowing it was going to come to an end the next day. I was so stressed and I felt so hurt for him and hurt for me and hurt for the relationship. So, it wasn't fun watching it last night.

What are you looking for in your ideal guy?


Becca Tilley: I don't know that I have an ideal guy. I think Chris is the type of guy that I would go for. I just felt he was very genuine and kind and respectful.

And to have someone like me on the show like that, where you're there to look for a wife, to have someone as stubborn and difficult as me, (laughs) I think shows a lot of patience. That meant a lot to me. And also, the humor, which you don't see a lot of me as funny on the show, but that's very important to me. I think I'll know when I know. I guess that's what I'm hoping for.

You spent a lot of time in the house and had a lot of time to get to know the other women. You weren't able to be at The Women Tell All, so can you tell us a little bit about Kelsey Poe from your perspective and your thoughts on how she was portrayed?

Becca Tilley: I think there are just certain people you click with and then people you don't click with. And for me, Kelsey's personality, with the majority of women in the house, just didn't click.

And so, I don't know the way she was portrayed and the backlash she got, I don't know that anyone actually deserves that, but there were moments that were frustrating. And there were times where, you know, we all kind of wondered what was there that he saw that we didn't see, I guess.


Were there any moments you wish we would've seen? You mentioned they didn't show you being funny very often, so what about a time like that?

Becca Tilley: Yeah, well, I laughed so much. By the time the show was over, I think everyone was ready to get rid of me because every interview, I would get the giggles and start laughing, so I think they didn't show a lot of my humor.

There were a lot of times in the house when we were joking and dancing, so I guess I wish they just showed more of my personality all around and a little more -- that they didn't focus so much on the really serious parts of me.

What are your thoughts on Ashley Salter?

Becca Tilley: I love Ashley S.! I seriously think she's one of my favorite people I've ever met. (Laughs) I don't know how to describe her or explain her, but I love her. She is [awesome], like don't you want to go hang out with her!?

Who else would you like to see on Bachelor in Paradise besides Ashley S.?


Becca Tilley: Who would I like to see? I would love to see [Samantha Steffen] just because no one saw her and she's awesome and so beautiful, so I'd love to see that. I'm trying to think who else. [Carly Waddell] would be hilarious on Bachelor in Paradise, and [Ashley Iaconetti]. I would like to see all the big personalities that we saw this season, and I would love to see them all together again.

Click here and here to read more from Becca Tilley's interview after her appearance on The Bachelor.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski