Shocking news for Bachelor Nation today, as it appears that the split between one of the franchise’s most beloved couples has taken a seriously ugly turn.
As we know, Colton Underwood and Cassie Randolph broke up in May, and while there was some tension at the time, it appeared to have blown over.
No longer.
Now it’s being reported by multiple celebrity gossip sources that Randolph has filed for a restraining order against Underwood.
Going back to earlier this year: Initially, the breakup came as a shock.
Colton and Cassie were gushing over each other on social media just weeks before announcing that they’d decided to go their separate ways.
Now, news that the law is involved has delivered a second stunning blow to fans.
No matter what you think of his life choices, or some of his public comments in interviews, this seems out of character.
Many Bachelor Nation members thought of Colton as one of the most likable and mild-mannered stars in franchise history.
It’s important to note that we currently have no information about what prompted Cassie’s court filing.
She has not publicly accused Colton of abusive behavior or any other misconduct.
But in order to be considered by the court, restraining orders must be accompanied by some sort of criminal complaint, so it’s safe to say that incriminating information about Underwood will soon be made public.
TMZ says it’s reached out to both parties, but both declined to comment.
As recently as July, Cassie spoke about the breakup in neutral terms, acknowledging that it’s been difficult, but refraining from making any disparaging remarks about Colton.
“It’s kind of a sensitive subject because we’re still going through it, and I’m still pretty emotional for both of us,” Randolph said during an appearance on The Bachelor: Greatest Seasons Ever.
“We haven’t really talked about it publicly yet and I don’t know if either of us is ready, but I will say it’s been really hard.”
Aside from rumors of Underwood dating Lucy Hale, that seemed to be the final word on the breakup.
The couple’s time together was tumultuous, largely due to Colton contracting Covid-19 along with at least one member of Cassie’s family.
But before today, there was no evidence of the sort of strife that might lead someone to file for a restraining order.
As you may recall, Colton’s season of The Bachelor became infamous among fans for a variety of reasons.
For starters, the former pro football player was a virgin when filming began, a fact that inspired an endless barrage of jokes during filming.
Then there was the famed fence-hopping incident which was teased throughout the season and became symbolic of the chaos that enveloped Underwood’s final episodes.
In a scathing memoir, Colton revealed that he struggled with depression and anxiety during filming, largely as a result of the constant demands of the show’s producers.
"I just remember feeling so powerless and like such a piece of meat," he said during an interview with podcast host "Reality" Steve Carbone.
"That for me was a big turning point in my mental health, of like, ‘Wow, I have no clue what I’m in for right now.’ And it got pretty bad. It got dark."
Underwood went on to admit that he was "heavily medicated" during filming.
Of course, we have no way of knowing if Colton’s depressed mental state had anything to do with what appears to have been a very negative recent interaction with Cassie.
What we do know is that Colton and Cassie’s time on the show was not as lighthearted and wholesome as producers would have us believe.
Current Bachelorette Tayshia Adams was a contestant on Colton’s season.
She made it all the way to the hometown round, and Underwood wished her luck upon learning that she had been tapped by producers to replace Clare Crawley.
We’re guessing he probably had to hold back from issuing any warnings about how dark life can get post-Bachelor/Bachelorette.
If there’s anyone who knows about those ups and downs, it’s Colton.
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as more information becomes available.
In the meantime, we hope that Cassie is safe, and that this situation is resolved as quickly as possible.