Strange Things About Hannah And Tyler C's Relationship
In the twist ending that had Bachelor Nation choking on their popcorn and tweeting up a frenzy, Hannah Brown ended her season of The Bachelorette as a single woman, hoping to have a second chance with Tyler Cameron, who she bailed on during the final rose ceremony.
Tyler C.'s brand of southern charm (and feminism lite) quickly established him as a fan-favorite throughout Season 15 — especially when compared to Luke Parker, who tried to guilt Hannah about her sexuality, and James McCoy Taylor, who pretty much did the same thing. Then there was Jed, the opportunist who was allegedly hiding a girlfriend. Basically, Hannah done goofed, so it's not surprising that she asked Tyler out for a drink in hopes of rekindling their romance.
While the status of their relationship is up in the air, as of this writing, and all signs are pointing towards the fact that they may be too hurt to actually make things work, one thing's for sure: the non-couple are ratings gold. According to The Wrap, the second half of The Bachelorette finale was ABC's top primetime program, smashing a two-year high for the show. In real life, Hannah and Tyler C.'s romance might be even more captivating than the cameras let on.
Sorry, but Tyler C. was Hannah's backup plan
It's probably not a great feeling to be someone's plan B, but Tyler Cameron appears to roll with the punches anyway. In the bombshell July 30, 2019 finale, the Bachelorette contestant accepted a drink invite from a newly-single Hannah Brown. But wait, what happened to Jed Wyatt?
Unfortunately for Hannah, Jed wasn't everything he seemed cracked up to be (if a dude constantly singing his feelings rather than having an actual conversation is admirable in the first place). There's a reason Jed had his guitar permanently affixed to his hip: he was allegedly using the show to promote his music career. Even worse, the star reportedly had a girlfriend waiting for him back home.
In June, Jed's ex-girlfriend, Haley Stevens, shocked the Bachelor Nation when she came forward claiming she'd been in a four month relationship with the contestant. "He told me [the show] was just an obstacle and we'd be stronger on the other side because of it," Stevens admitted to People. Jed allegedly ghosted her upon his return to Nashville — probably because he was engaged to Hannah.
According to Us Weekly, Jed tried to explain Haley's allegations to his fiancé, and claimed the pair weren't even exclusive (despite saying "I Love You," going on a trip to the Bahamas, and introducing Stevens to his parents). Hannah — probably rightly — dumped him over the phone.
Hannah doesn't regret choosing Jed first
Don't hate the player, hate the game. Apparently Hannah Brown stays true with this mantra because even after she found out Jed Wyatt was the kind of person who'd tell a girl "I love you" while he's still reportedly sleeping with other women, she still doesn't regret choosing him over Tyler Cameron. By now, most Bachelorette fans have established that Tyler C. is rare feminist gem in the six pack-laden swamp that is reality TV dating shows. One Twitter user even called him "the southern feminist king we didn't know we needed," and Hannah apparently didn't know she needed him, either. She still might not be sure.
Hannah's true feelings were revealed in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel. The talk show host, who correctly (at least very briefly) guessed which suitor the star would choose, asked Hannah if she wished she had picked Tyler C. instead Jed. Cue: Hannah's awkward smile.
"I definitely had feelings for [Tyler], too, so I don't want to say that," she said. "I grew. I became a lot stronger of a woman through all that I went through, so I don't want to say that I regret it, but he is pretty great."
Sure, that's why everyone goes on The Bachelorette: growth.
Hannah and Tyler C.'s Fantasy Suite was no windmill
When Tyler Cameron and Hannah Brown finally got their Fantasy Suite moment, there were no windmills about it. Hannah decided that she didn't want to explore their physical relationship, and instead wanted to foster a deeper emotional connection. This is the same Bachelorette who went to town four times — not two — with Peter Weber in a windmill.
Of course, the choice to abstain is absolutely Hannah's right, and more power to her for wanting to take things slow, but after the star chose Jed Wyatt, the decision seemed a little more curious. Was she signaling that she wasn't yet feeling Tyler C.'s particular brand of swoon-worthy muscles? (Though, honestly, even Jimmy Kimmel had issues telling all the contestants apart).
Either way, Tyler C. was totally cool with the decision. He even told Hannah that he wanted her "to be 100 percent comfortable and confident in whatever [they] do together." His gentlemanly speech garnered him gleaming reviews on social media because, as Vox pointed out, the bar for reality TV contestants dutifully respecting woman has been set very low. Who could forget the Bachelor in Paradise scandal? Tragically enough, Hannah claimed it was "the most respectful a man has ever treated [her]." So, uh, where was his rose?
Fourth time's a charm
Hannah Brown is truly a bachelorette. Little did Bachelor Nation know that the star has a habit of breaking engagements. As of this writing, Miss B has been engaged three times. It's not quite Danielle Staub level (the star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey has 21 engagements under her belt), but it's certainly proves that the Bachelorette star has a way of making men fall head over heels.
According to Distractify, Hannah dished about her past engagements to Peter Weber during a particularly emotional episode where he admitted he was devastated after his last breakup. Sadly, it wasn't enough to foster a serious connection. Mr. Windmill made it to the top three, but Hannah sent him packing (though he probably already had his bags packed considering he's a pilot). Not too long after, the star entered engagement No. 3 with her guitar-wielding playboy Jed Wyatt.
As Vox pointed out, ABC just "[glossed] over" Hannah's past engagements like they were absolutely nothing. While we can't say her past was a red flag that foreshadowed what ultimately went down with Jed, it was certainly some sort of flag. You know what they say: third time's a charm. In this case, maybe the fourth will be the one that sticks, but the star's future with Tyler Cameron is still up in the air.
Tyler C.'s biggest fear is failed marriage
Hannah Brown might be jumping from engagement to engagement, but her backup beau seems a little more reserved when it comes to holy matrimony. According to Refinery 29, Tyler Cameron's "biggest fear is to fail at marriage."
During the pair's second one-on-one date, Tyler C. admitted that his parents divorce, which was sparked when the couple lost their home in Jupiter, Florida during the recession, really affected the way he looks at love. "I don't really open up to anybody," Tyler C. said (via Refinery29). "My parents got divorced so it was like, seeing what they went through ... I'm not having a relationship. I'm not going through that."
Given his thoughts on marriage, we can guess that Tyler C. isn't going to jump right into things with Hannah, especially because he was her second choice. Hannah seems to be realistic about their prospects for a real relationship, too. "I hurt him, I was hurt through that, and I was hurt through the relationship that I had," she told Entertainment Tonight. "I think it's really important that if any type of relationship is going to happen for Tyler and I, that we hang out, and just see where we're at and if that's friends, if it's more, I'm good with that."
The maybe-couple are going the distance
Getting that drink might prove to be a little complicated for Hannah and Tyler. If the reality stars plan on making a real go of their relationship, they're going to have to battle the distance. The pair live more than 2,600 miles apart, or a straight 38-hour shot on I-10.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Hannah actually moved even further away from Tyler when she left her home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for a new start in Los Angeles. After the series stopped filming, Tyler went back home to Boca Raton, Florida, where he actually got into a little bit of trouble, albeit, accidentally. According to 25 WPBF, the star was allegedly responsible for a three car pile up in the area a few weeks after filming ended.
It's not clear whether Hannah plans to use her Communications Studies degree or previous experience as an interior designer in L.A., since her official job title on The Bachelorette was "Miss Alabama USA 2018," and that's clearly a one-time gig — but Tyler seems to have his roots firmly planted in Florida. Entertainment Tonight reports that the star is a general contractor, while Reality TV World reports that he custom builds homes around the Jupiter area where he grew up. One of these two is going to have to be willing to travel or it's not going to work.
A family tragedy brought Tyler C. and Hannah together
Sometimes a tragedy can inadvertently bring two people together. The universe works in mysterious ways, and the reality TV universe — forget about it! It seems like Hannah Brown is the silver lining to the horrible illness that brought Tyler Cameron's father near death. During their first one-on-one date, Tyler C. admitted his dad "almost died" two months before he started filming The Bachelorette. He fell into a coma for 10 days and was in the hospital for nearly a month. Fans saw his pops struggling to talk because of a paralyzed vocal cord when Hannah finally took the trip to Jupiter to meet the parents.
If Tyler C.'s dad never became ill, the contractor might have never tried so hard to win over Hannah in the first place. He admitted he first started watching the show with his dad during the long recovery process, and eventually his pops pushed him to pursue Miss Alabama USA for real. "Me and my dad would sit around and watch The Bachelorette, and he kind of, like, became a huge fan of you," Tyler C. told Hannah. "And he was like, 'Tyler, this is your girl. You've got to go and make the most of this opportunity.'"
It seems like Tyler C. is still making the most of it today.
Tyler C. was still rooting for Hanna even after she dumped him
While the rest of us are crafting voodoo dolls out of Chinese food leftovers and pints of Ben & Jerry to torment our exes, Tyler Cameron is wishing his all the best. Either he possesses a level of maturity and compassion that's basically unheard of on the reality dating show circuit or something is up.
During the final rose ceremony (via Vanity Fair), the Bachelorette contestant had his heart completely eviscerated when Hannah chose Jed Wyatt over him. Nonetheless, he claimed — during the very breakup — that he's "still gonna be [Hanna's biggest fan], rooting for [her]." Excuse us, but this might be the calmest split we've ever seen. Are you okay, dude?
Tyler C. continued to make women around the country swoon when he explained his reasoning behind the unyielding support for his old boo on Nick Viall's podcast Viall Files. "I think that we just both needed to have that time to talk and, you know, just see each other and be there for each other," he said (via Us Weekly), "I think we have a great relationship, you know, and friendship, and that's something that doesn't need to be cut off because that didn't work out. I think that's immature."
Tyler, can we remind you that she dumped you for someone else?
Tyler C.'s friends might be rooting against his relationship
We already know that Tyler Cameron's dad was rooting for his relationship with Hannah Brown, but not everyone from The Bachelorette contestant's hometown offered the same support. In an interview with The Palm Beach Post, the star's friend Vivian Bordieri-Moir admitted she hoped he would lose the reality TV contest (and thus, Hannah's affection). How could a friend be so cruel? She's just hoping he can move onto bigger and better things. "I would love Tyler not to win, because I'm rooting for him to be the next Bachelor," she said. "And you can quote me!"
The rest of Tyler C.'s loved ones appear to have rallied behind him, if not for his budding relationship with Hannah, then for his potential reality TV fame. According to The Palm Beach Post, his hometown pals and relatives gathered at a local Jupiter bar to watch new episodes during the season. His mama was even "trying to be really chill" about the fact that her son's most intimate moments were aired in front of the entire nation.
Regardless, Hannah has not shown the same level of unbridled support. Though she's the reason Tyler C. didn't win The Bachelorette, she still told Entertainment Tonight, "I think it would be a little hard to see him as the Bachelor because there's still feelings there, but I would support him in his happiness." You can't have your (perfectly toned) cake and eat it too, girl.
Did Gigi Hadid slide into Tyler C.'s DMs?
Hannah Brown might have some competition when it comes to winning back Tyler C's heart. According to Refinery29, famed model and Taylor Swift squad member Gigi Hadid may or may not be pursuing the Floridian reality star — providing that Instagram follows are the end-all, be-all of millennial dating.
The drama reportedly unfolded when a Twitter user noticed that the supermodel chucked Tyler C. a follow on the photo-sharing app. He returned the favor, which means they're basically in love and probably getting married really soon. It's only a matter of time before someone slides into someone's DMs (or maybe Hadid is just a fan of the show). Certainly, it would be some major karma for Hannah if this turns into a bizarre, non-televised, celebrity-packed version of The Bachelor. Who could really fight a supermodel for someone's heart?
If you're thinking, "Wait, a celeb would never fall for a general contractor just because he appeared on TV once and has chiseled abs," Demi Lovato set the precedent. According to Us Weekly, Lovato dedicated an Instagram story to Mike Johnson, who was booted from The Bachelorette earlier on. "Mike, I accept your rose," she wrote. "I'M RIGHT HERE MIKE I'M RIGHT HERE BOO MY MOM ALREADY LOVES YOU TOO." All caps is a mood, but stranger things have happened.
Tyler C. stood up for Hannah's sexuality
It doesn't matter if Tyler C. was ultimately a runner-up. He fought for Hannah like he was No. 1, anyway. The star continuously pushed back against toxic masculinity, and defended Miss Alabama USA 2018 when his fellow contestants shamed her for her sexuality. Meanwhile, he didn't even get intimate with her in the Fantasy Suite.
In June 2019, Tyler C. shut down scorned contestant James McCoy Taylor, who tweeted that Hanna should "make choices [her] future husband will be proud of" and that she didn't "have to dry hump 'em all." "Let our Queen live and let's embrace her on this journey," Tyler replied, adding "Very few have a clue what it's like to be in the lead's shoes. Our Queen is imperfectly perfect like us all." Our Queen! Swoon.
Tyler swooped in on his white horse once again when Luke P. took issues with Hannah bungee jumping in the nude. "Do you not think it's a double standard the fact that you're able to parade around in a Speedo in front of everybody ... but she can't go ... bungee jumping?" he said. Ain't it the truth.
Tyler C. might be hesitant to jump into a relationship with Hannah
We know Hannah Brown isn't holding her hopes high for a super serious relationship. Generally, rejecting someone for another man on television in front of millions of viewers kind of puts a damper on things. While the pair is planning to have drinks and see how things go rather than immediately shipping off to a windmill or Fantasy Suite of their own, Tyler C. might be a bit more guarded than most of us think.
According to a body language expert who spoke to Women's Health, the pair do actually like each other. We saw it in the way they "[mirrored] each other's body language" during the finale, but Hannah might still be way more on-board than her backup beau (she is, after all, not the one who got her heart stomped on). The evidence reportedly lies in how Hannah gripped Tyler C.'s waist during the finale, but he only held onto her elbow, keeping her "at arm's length." Clearly, he's a little guarded. He also wasn't "leaning into [her] space" while they were talking on the couch, which apparently means he's not as into her as he used to be (public rejection and distance tend to do that).
Right now, the future of the pair's relationship is wildly uncertain. We'll just have to wait and see if Tyler C. pops up on the next season of The Bachelor to know if this pair managed to work it out.