How Ex-'Bachelor' Contestants Have Stayed Relevant

While contestants of The Bachelor and Bachelorette are guaranteed a few shining moments of fame, even avid fans of the show are likely to forget most of them after a few seasons. Many of the series' contestants have been keenly aware of this truth, and thus these Bachelor alums have prolonged their fame for as long as they could after their seasons on the show aired. To this day, there aren't a whole lot of Bachelor stars who are famous outside of the show, but that doesn't mean that plenty of them haven't tried.

The most common route for alumni of the dating shows is to sign up for other reality competitions, which makes sense: they know how it goes down. Many people have also tried out other entertainment careers, from hosting TV shows to writing books. Another way for Bachelor stars to stay famous may or may not be a intentional — getting covered by the tabloids for romantic antics, sometimes with other former contestants. Yet despite these efforts and for whatever reason, ex-contestants are rarely able to shake the association with the Bachelor franchise to achieve full-on fame. Here's a look at the various ways alums of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have attempted to extend their 15 minutes, to varying degrees of success.

They've Gone On To Dancing With The Stars

A surprising number of Bachelor alums have gone on to participate in the reality dancing competition, including Sean Lowe and Melissa Rycroft. It's now rumored that Ben Higgins might go on the show.

They Go On Other Reality Shows

Alums have appeared on marriage-centric shows like Marriage Boot Camp and Couples Therapy, as well as more unexpected series like Fear Factor and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

They've Hosted Their Own Shows

Many former contestants have gone on to have their own projects, often centered on their own status as eligible men and women. Bachelor Andrew Firestone, for example, hosted a show called Billionaires Car Club, while Byron Velvick hosts Byron Velvick's Guides' Eyes on the Outdoor Channel.

They've Published Books

Bachelor Sean Lowe published a book about his experience on the show, unfortunately titled For the Right Reasons: America's Favorite Bachelor on Faith, Love, Marriage, and Why Nice Guys Finish First.

They've Had High-Profile Relationships

After splitting with their sweethearts from the show, a few of the contestants have had romances with other celebrities. Bob Guiney married soap star Rebecca Budig, while Andrew Baldwin had a fling with Donald Trump ex Marla Maples.

They've Done All The Spinoffs

Another way contestants have managed to keep up their fame is by never leaving the franchise. Chris Soules, for instance, gas been on The Bachelorette, The Bachelor, and Bachelor in Paradise. Some former stars also end up stopping by each new Bachelor or Bachelorette season to offer advice to new contestants.

Keep plugging along, you guys, but remember Emily Dickinson's words: "fame is a fickle food upon a shifting plate." True post-Bachelor celebrity is hard to find.

Image: ABC