JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers Reveal the One Change They'd Make to 'The Bachelor' Franchise (Exclusive)
Matthew Perez JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers would like to have a therapist join Bachelor Nation. ET's Deidre Behar spoke with the couple, who met and fell in love on Fletcher's season of The Bachelorette in 2016, and they revealed the one thing they'd like to change about the franchise that started their love story.
"I think that this is something that every show should have," Fletcher said of a therapist. "Every show should have this as a resource whether it's on camera or off, just knowing that that's there, I think, is amazing."
Fletcher additionally noted that she "100 percent" wishes that a therapist would have helped her along both her Bachelorette journey and her and Rodgers' post-show transition.
"It really would've helped," she said.
The couple came to that realization after hosting The Big D, the reality dating show that invites divorced couples into a tropical villa to pursue a second chance at love by dating the other divorcees in the house. Along the way, the contestants are given advice by Dr. Jada, a relationship coach.
"Divorce is hard. It's sticky. It's not easy. A lot of times there's a lot of trauma and baggage and just hurt feelings that obviously come from that," Fletcher said. "And so, when we were doing this show, we understood that that was going to take place and knowing that we had Dr. Jada, that was a very key part of this show to be a resource to these people that were coming in. I think it made a world of difference."
The mental health support was just one of many reasons why Fletcher and Rodgers enjoyed hosting the series.
"It's amazing," Rodgers said of his latest gig. "Watching JoJo kissing 20 other guys, like, I don't have to worry about all that. I get to watch it happen."
"It is so fun to be able to be the host of this show," Fletcher added, "because I think for the first time, Jordan and I... get to take an experience like the one we had together on a show like The Bachelorette... [and] we can take whatever little insight we have and share it with the people [who are] a part of this show."
But just because they're involved with another reality show doesn't mean they've left Bachelor Nation. In fact, the couple hosted a date on Charity Lawson's season of The Bachelorette and Fletcher recently ran into the leading lady herself.
"She's very happy," Fletcher said of Lawson. "Seeing her in person and her saying how happy she is and how everything turned out was really great to hear."
Fletcher and Rodgers additionally shared that they're looking forward to tuning into The Golden Bachelor, the new spinoff series focused on a senior love story.
"I think The Golden Bachelor is a great idea, because it is pivoting into something that has been untouched," Fletcher said, with Rodgers adding, "The one thing that I think people have started to really miss from this show is that genuine authenticity of the things coming out of it and how it was happening, so fingers crossed for that. We're excited."
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JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers on Marriage, Babies and Life in Puerto Rico (Exclusive)As for their own love story, the couple, who recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary, noted that things only got better after they said "I do."
"There was just a sense of security, a sense of having such a solid ground to continue to grow from," Rodgers said of how things changed post-wedding. "But I will say maybe it doesn't feel as different because we were supposed to get married in 2020, then again in 2022, so I swear, by the time of the year anniversary [we were asking,] 'Is it not [year] three yet? It feels like we should've been married for a long time.'"
Fletcher said things are great between her and Rodgers, who are currently living in a home they renovated in Puerto Rico.
"We're now in a home that we've done together. It's completed, we're enjoying it," she said. "A lot of great things are happening in our lives, together and individually right now. We're getting to enjoy these different aspects of our life as a married couple. I feel like the last two years were difficult with just renovations and COVID... so it's nice to be able to sit back and be like, 'Wow, smooth sailing right now.'"
In fact, they love their dynamic so much that they're not ready to add a little one to the mix just yet.
"I think we're content," Fletcher said. "This has always been a conversation that we know that we want to have kids when the timing is right, when it feels right. I think we're very close to that. It's kind of at the forefront of every conversation."
Fletcher noted that Rodgers "has more baby fever" than she does.
"I do," he agreed. "I feel like it was the other way around, maybe even a couple years ago. Not that we were, like, ready to go right away, but I think Jo was much more ready than I was. Now I'm like, 'Let's go!'"
As for what changed, Rodgers pointed to becoming an uncle and seeing his friends become parents.
"Everybody that was in my wedding a year ago, except one, has a new child or children under two years old. Everyone is either pregnant or having a kid, so everyone around you," he said. "I'm spending more time around kids. I'm not scared to hold a baby anymore, so it's like, 'I can do this.'"
When it comes to others who are hoping to find a love like theirs on reality TV, Rodgers had some advice to share.
"This show's an amazing experience. Ninety-nine percent of people that go onto the show, you're not going to find love... However, so many amazing things can come of it if you are genuine, if you are open, and you are there... for the right reasons," he said. "If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. It still was a great experience, and you were open to it."
The Big D airs Wednesdays on USA, with episodes streaming next day on Peacock.
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