Ben Higgins was nearly instantly an audience favorite from the 11th season of The Bachelorette. After a successful season on The Bachelor, where he met his now-fianceé Lauren Bushnell, he’s already one of America’s favorite Bachelors. However, unlike many Bachelors before him, Higgins very quickly backed down from the spotlight. This left many wondering what he’s doing now.
The Bachelor
Ben Higgins was born in Warsaw, Indiana, in 1989. He went to Indiana University, where he studied business administration through their School of Public and Environmental Affairs. After graduation, he traveled to South America, working for a while at a Peruvian zoo and touring Bolivia. When he returned to the States, he moved to Colorado to work as a software salesperson.
During Season 11 of The Bachelorette, Higgins quickly fell for Kaitlyn Bristowe, and made it to Week 8 before being eliminated. In that time, he managed to become a favorite of the Bachelor Nation. Although he wasn’t season’s the runner-up, Higgins was cast as The Bachelor for the show’s twentieth season.
The Bachelor has grown in extravagance through the seasons, and this most recent season was no different. The show took Ben Higgins from Las Vegas to Mexico City to The Bahamas. Ice Cube and Kevin Hart made guest appearances. And a couple of the contestants were minor celebrities – Olivia Caridi was a news anchor in Bristol, Virginia, and JoJo Fletcher is the half-sister of Ben Patton, from Ready for Love.
Initially, producers picked Caila Quinn to be the carry-over for Season 12 of The Bachelorette. Then, just days before the public announcement, producers gave the honor to JoJo Fletcher. Meanwhile, Izzy Goodkind, Jubilee Sharpe, Haley Ferguson, Lace Morris, Leah Block, Amanda Stanton, and Emily Ferguson were all cast for the spin-off Bachelor in Paradise.
What’s Ben Higgins Doing Now in 2018 – Recent Updates
The competition for Higgins’ affection was close, between JoJo Fletcher and Lauren Bushnell. Throughout the season, it looked inevitable that he would pick Fletcher. When Higgins finally cut Fletcher loose, it clearly hurt and surprised her. Simply more in love with Bushnell, he proposed to her in the season finale, which aired on March 14.
Despite being clearly in love, the couple didn’t have an engagement party until several months later, on July 9. They celebrated in Bushnell’s home state of Oregon, surrounded by their friends and family. We don’t have a firm wedding date for the couple, but it’s likely to be sometime early this fall.
While The Bachelor has inspired a fair number of spin-offs, I don’t know if a winning couple ever received their own show. But that’s exactly what’s happening with the soon-to-be minted Higgins family. They’ll be returning TV with Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After. The show will air sometime in October on Freeform, formerly ABC Family. It’s likely the first season will focus on their engagement period and eventual wedding.
If you can’t wait that long, the third season of Bachelor in Paradise will start broadcast in just a couple weeks, on August 2. While the happy couple are unlikely to appear, you’ll be able to catch many of the contestants from Higgins’ season of The Bachelor, along with some fresh faces.
