Every season of Bachelor in Paradise brings drama, but the complicated history between Blake and Caelynn is so intense, it's started to trickle into the real world. Both of the BIP stars have released statements sharing their sides of the story since the show started airing. So if you're wondering what Blake thinks of Bachelor in Paradise, he's made it pretty loud and clear. (Bustle reached out to Blake for further comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication).
The drama started to unfold when Caelynn began telling people she and Blake had history prior to the show. She claimed that they had talked for several months and eventually hooked up at Stagecoach in April, but that afterward, he "ghosted" her and asked her to keep their relationship a secret from everyone else in Paradise. Caelynn said this made her feel like Blake was ashamed of her, and it was painful to then watch other women fawning over him. It didn't help that Blake hooked up with Kristina the night before Caelynn... but that came with its own confrontation.
As for Blake's response to all of this, he shared a lengthy Instagram statement apologizing for his actions and admitting that he has made several mistakes over the past year that he isn't proud of. He also said that while he never meant to hurt anyone, he knows that what he did was wrong. "I take full responsibility for my actions at Stagecoach and will forever regret the decision I made that weekend," he wrote. "The women involved did not deserve that. I realize now that I hurt these women and I deeply regret that. I've done a lot of self-reflection since and have learned a lot from my mistakes."
However, Blake also made a point of refuting some of the claims Caelynn made about their relationship. "I NEVER 'sweet talked' her at Stagecoach. Caelynn and I were NEVER in a relationship. I NEVER ghosted Caelynn, I NEVER called her a mistake and I absolutely NEVER EVER EVER silenced Caelynn," he continued. After sharing the post, he released private text messages between he and Caelynn in an attempt to clear his name. He deleted them a few hours later, but still faced significant backlash from viewers who felt it was a violation of Caelynn's privacy.
Regardless of who you find yourself siding with, though, it's clear that Blake's time in Paradise hasn't gone as he'd envisioned it. In fact, he's said so himself on the show. It's unclear how things will play out from here, but hopefully, he and Caelynn can both move on with other people and put all of this behind them. There's been rumors that Caelynn and Dean (who'll be arriving in Paradise later on) are now dating, and it seems like Blake wants to explore things with Hannah G. But if his storyline keeps going in the direction it has so far, this may be his one and only time on Paradise.
