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Wow.

That’s what many viewers are saying after last night’s Bachelor episode in which Shawntel Newton, from Brad Womack’s season, entered the game unexpectedly.

Ben Flajnik, the star of this season, was caught at the center of the “$h!t storm” last night, and reacted similarly by the big twist designed to rile up the women.

In a new blog post, he explains why he sent Shawntel packing:

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“So I have heard from everyone that makes this show happen that this was truly the craziest cocktail party and rose ceremony in Bachelor history,” he writes.

“Having only seen one other season, I would have to agree. Wow. Nothing in my life would have ever prepared me for the $h!tstorm that happened that night.”

“After watching, I didn’t realize that the women were so mean to Shawntel and I was a bit taken aback,” Ben reflects in the understatement of the year. “I mean I knew it was a bold move on Shawntel’s part, but some of the women took it a bit too far.”

 
“Shawntel and I had chatted a few times in between seasons and I thought she was an interesting, beautiful woman. She was right to assume there was a connection.”

“There was, but the timing was wrong. So, you can imagine how surprised I was when she showed up to the cocktail party unannounced.”

“I knew if I kept Shawntel around I would lose all the credibility I had built with these women and it wouldn’t be easy to dig myself out of that hole.”

“Let’s put it this way – if Shawntel had started the journey with the rest of the women it might have been different. But I was already so happy with the group of women I had. I wasn’t about to jeopardize the rest of my experience in trying to find love.”

“I do want to thank Shawntel though for coming. She gave up a lot to try this and I really respect her for it.”