'The Bachelorette' runner-up Nick Viall: I am excited to get back out there and meet a great girl

The Bachelorette runner-up Nick Viall was rejected by Kaitlyn Bristowe, who accepted a marriage proposal from Shawn Booth, during Monday night's Season 11 finale of The Bachelorette on ABC.


Viall became a runner-up once more, as Andi Dorfman dumped him for Josh Murray on The Bachelorette's tenth season. But it's not necessarily a fairy tale for Booth and Bristowe either. The couple has to deal with cyber bullies and the aftermath of a very controversial season.

During a Tuesday conference call, Viall talked to reporters about his experience on The Bachelorette and his heartwrenching almost-proposal. Below is a portion of his interview. Check back with us soon for more.

I wanted to talk a little bit about what it's been like for you since the show.  I mean, when you go out, are women approaching you and trying to ask you about the show?  Are your friends sort of all over you, trying to get details?  What has the past three months been like?

Nick Viall:  Sure.  I mean, as far as my friends, I mean, I'm so lucky to have the tight knit and great group of friends that I have.  And they're kind of used to it by now.  So you know, when I'm with my friends, it's just like old times, right?  We don't kind of focus on the show. 


We just do what we've always done and enjoy each other's company.  But yeah, having been on it now, you know, for a while on both seasons, that it's kind of interesting.  I don't know if I'll ever really get used to it, because I just don't see myself as the guy I've always been.

But yeah, I get noticed a lot, and you know, take a lot of pictures.  Most people are really nice.  There are some people who are curious about kind of the behind-the-scenes of the show.  And people seem to be really curious about me, you know, in terms of -- which I find kind of fascinating.

Some people, again, like they'll come up.  And they're fans.  Some people come up and they're -- you kind of tell that they probably aren't fans of me, but they're kind of enamored.  And they want to like see what I'm like.  It's just kind of interesting.

So I would say most people are very gracious and very nice and just a little bit curious.  And, you know, I just try to be pleasant and answer what I can.  And I don't try to take it too seriously, or get a bit ahead about it. I just, you know, am gracious and take it with a grain of salt.

Well, on that note, a lot of women on social media, especially Twitter, have been pretty excited that you weren't chosen because I think that these are women who would like to date you as well.  So I know you're not dating anybody specifically right now, but are you dating in the general sense?


Nick Viall:  Yeah, I mean, you got to be really careful, obviously, while the show's airing.  So, that being said, you know, when things ended, the last thing in my mind was dating.  It's been three months, right?  So I think the first month and a half, two months, were really just about focusing, and moving forward, and getting past the breakup with Kaitlyn.

You know, and I've been out.  I've met with friends, but I hadn't really been on any dates, because I have to be careful.  But I also know that it's over, I am excited to get back out there and meet a great girl.

And, you know, listen, I know she's out there.  You just got to be patient, right?  And I'm someone who --even though I've been the guy who's kind of gone on TV for love -- I'm really just a big believer in letting things play out.  It'll happen when it happens.  And, you know, I'm open to meeting people.  I'm excited to be out there.  I'm excited to hopefully find that person when the time is right.

When we saw you on the After the Final Rose with Andi, you seemed devastated and truly heartbroken, whereas this time with Kaitlyn, you definitely seemed a lot more reserved.  I think more angry than sad.  Can you speak about that a little?  Were you as upset with Kaitlyn's breakup as you were with Andi Dorfman or how were they different?

Nick Viall:  Yeah, it was very different.  And it's kind of hard to explain.  I will say that the breakup of Kaitlyn was far more -- it was far more difficult at first.  And, you know, it's funny, like, I might not be directly answering your question, so I apologize.


But people have asked me what it's like to watch the show, right?  And so, I remember watching it with Andi.  And it wasn't as difficult for me to watch it.  For example, when she was on dates with other guys and making out with other guys.  It was far more difficult this time watching it back, which I did. 

And I think it was because, you know, with Andi, my only relationship with Andi was inside that realm of The Bachelor.  And with Kaitlyn, you know, I knew her before, right?  We never met in person.  We had built this relationship.  And it was just -- it was more difficult.

And so, at the same time, I think because of that, you know, trust being broken, and how things played out, and Kaitlyn taking me all the way to a proposal, I think has also and in some ways, allowed me to accept it. 

I really didn't have any questions about Kaitlyn.  There weren't really any unknowns.  It was like once she made that decision, it was like, "Yeah, I'm heartbroken and sad, but you made that decision, and I need to accept it and move on."  And I think with Andi having had gone through that process, I think there was a lot of confusion. 

And, you know, I hadn't had a chance to speak with her.  I really felt like I didn't know what the heck happened, and I think it was harder for me to just let go of it.  And I think I was really just anticipating After the Final Rose to get that closure from Andi. 


I feel like with Kaitlyn, I didn't really need After the Final Rose to move forward.  And I think by the time yesterday happened, you know, I had already accepted her decision.  I didn't need any specific answers to get closure from her, if that makes sense. So is this -- I feel like it was just a more real experience, just because of the pre-existing relationship.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski