If there’s anyone who knows what it’s like to become a cultural talking point for her decision to wait, it’s Ashley Iaconetti. As one of Bachelor Nation’s most memorable contestants—and certainly the most iconic self-proclaimed virgin in franchise history—she’s no stranger to the spotlight. Yet even she admits she was caught a little off guard when she wasn’t tapped to co-host Hulu’s new reality series, Are You My First?.
“I’ll be honest—that I’m jealous of,” Iaconetti told StyleCaster while discussing her recent partnership with Chicco. “Excuse me, was I second in line for this opportunity?”
Why Ashley Thinks She Was Passed Over
The new show is led by Season 23 Bachelor Colton Underwood and Season 11 Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe, two figures who’ve each made their own headlines for how they navigated intimacy in front of millions. For Iaconetti, the pairing makes sense—even if it stings just a little.
“Of course, you’re going to go with Colton, who was a lead,” she explains. “I think they wanted a girl and a guy. I think they wanted a dichotomy.”
That “dichotomy” comes in the form of Bristowe and Underwood’s vastly different journeys. Underwood, famously, was a virgin during his season of The Bachelor. Bristowe, meanwhile, broke ground as the first Bachelorette to have sex outside of the show’s Fantasy Suites, which sparked widespread debate at the time.
“With all due respect to Kaitlyn, they wanted someone who had sex on TV, and then someone who was a virgin on TV,” Iaconetti says. “So the two of them make total sense, and I love the two of them.”
The Bittersweet Feeling of Being First
Still, Iaconetti can’t help but feel a touch overlooked. Her story on The Bachelor franchise was groundbreaking in its own right—long before virginity became a recurring storyline in Bachelor Nation.
“But am I a little jealous? Yeah, because I thought I would be in the mix,” she admits. “I was the first, and then it became a trend after me. I’m like, ‘See guys! It’s not that weird. See producers! It wasn’t that crazy, and you found so many others.’”
For her, it’s not about resentment so much as recognition. By candidly sharing her perspective years ago, Iaconetti helped shift the conversation within the franchise, showing that choosing to wait could be just as valid—and just as entertaining—as any other storyline.
The Bigger Picture
It’s also a reminder of how The Bachelor universe thrives on contrast and spectacle. The producers know how to lean into polarizing narratives, which explains why the hosting duo for Are You My First? fits so neatly into the show’s premise. Still, it doesn’t erase Iaconetti’s unique role in paving the way.
Her willingness to openly discuss her choices back when the franchise was still figuring out how to handle such personal disclosures helped normalize the conversation around intimacy on reality TV. Today, viewers may not bat an eye when a contestant reveals they’ve waited—but that cultural shift is partly thanks to Iaconetti’s transparency.
Looking Ahead
Even without the hosting gig, Iaconetti has carved out her own lane beyond the show. Between podcasting, partnerships, and building a family with husband and fellow Bachelor alum Jared Haibon, she’s managed to stay relevant while also moving forward.
As for her thoughts on Are You My First?, there’s no bitterness—just a playful acknowledgment of what might have been. “I love the two of them,” she says again of Bristowe and Underwood. But her quick wit and candid reflection leave little doubt: had she been behind the mic, she would have brought her own brand of humor, honesty, and perspective to the table.
✨ Takeaway: Ashley Iaconetti may not be hosting Hulu’s virgin dating show, but her influence is undeniable. She was the first to make Bachelor Nation—and its viewers—rethink what it means to share your truth on reality TV.
