The summer may be over, but the cast of Bachelor in Paradise isn’t letting go just yet. After attending the taping of the season 8 reunion, which aired on Tuesday, November 22, Us Weekly asked the stars which couple will be the first down the aisle — and which duo they were most shocked or upset to see call it quits.
“If people don’t believe in love at first sight, you just gotta look at Brandon and Serene. You really do. Really so happy for them. So happy they were able to meet at the beach. I mean, they could get married tomorrow,” Jesse Palmer exclusively told Us.
In addition to Brandon Jones and Serene Russell, he sees potential in Michael Allio and Danielle Maltby.
“I think that Brandon and Serene work at a much different speed than Michael and Danielle. Michael and Danielle are slower moving, they’re more intentional, but they’re working at the speed that they need to and it’s really helping their relationship grow, and I absolutely am so hopeful that it can work out for them,” he said. “Their love story really is incredible, considering everything in their past and the magic that happened down on the beach this summer.”
The host added that he’s ready and waiting for Brandon and Serene to call him to officiate their nuptials.
“I did get ordained. I got my little book. I already have the speech written,” he said. “I’m totally down. They just gotta let me know, pull the speech out.”
When asked the same question about which pair could be first to wed, the engaged couple didn’t hesitate.
“It’s us!” she said, with Brandon adding, “Is there anyone else? Do you know anything that we don’t?”
Brandon and Serene are the only engaged duo from season 8 who are still going strong. (Victoria Fuller and Johnny DePhillipo split while the show was airing and she’s now dating Greg Grippo.) While Danielle and Michael A. are still dating, Jill Chin and Jacob Rapini are among the pairings trying to give things a shot post-BiP.
Genevieve Parisi and Aaron Clancy, however, were the most name-dropped by their costars when asked to name the twosome they were upset ended things.
“Oh God,” Genevieve said when Us told her the news. “Some people said [at the reunion], ‘I thought you guys were gonna kiss.’ And I was like, ‘No.’ … I think that our time there just showed that we are not compatible. There’s a little part of me that wonders if it was outside of Paradise if it could work. There is a little part of me that wondered that when I left. But I think that everything happened for a reason and he’s a good person. I believe I’m a good person, and we just didn’t mesh well.”
Aaron agreed. “I’ve turned the chapter. I think she has as well. We definitely talked [at the reunion] and we’re both very confident in our decision that we just simply can’t communicate in the proper way and we’re not right for each other,” he explained. “And I’m completely at peace with that. And I think she is too. But yeah, we still have a lot of love for each other, obviously. And she has a friend in me for life.”
Scroll through for more from the stars of BiP:
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC (3)
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Stars Predict Next to Wed, Name Most Shocking Season 8 Split
The summer may be over, but the cast of Bachelor in Paradise isn’t letting go just yet. After attending the taping of the season 8 reunion, which aired on Tuesday, November 22, Us Weekly asked the stars which couple will be the first down the aisle — and which duo they were most shocked or upset to see call it quits.
“If people don’t believe in love at first sight, you just gotta look at Brandon and Serene. You really do. Really so happy for them. So happy they were able to meet at the beach. I mean, they could get married tomorrow,” Jesse Palmer exclusively told Us.
In addition to Brandon Jones and Serene Russell, he sees potential in Michael Allio and Danielle Maltby.
“I think that Brandon and Serene work at a much different speed than Michael and Danielle. Michael and Danielle are slower moving, they’re more intentional, but they’re working at the speed that they need to and it’s really helping their relationship grow, and I absolutely am so hopeful that it can work out for them,” he said. “Their love story really is incredible, considering everything in their past and the magic that happened down on the beach this summer.”
The host added that he’s ready and waiting for Brandon and Serene to call him to officiate their nuptials.
“I did get ordained. I got my little book. I already have the speech written,” he said. “I’m totally down. They just gotta let me know, pull the speech out.”
When asked the same question about which pair could be first to wed, the engaged couple didn’t hesitate.
“It’s us!” she said, with Brandon adding, “Is there anyone else? Do you know anything that we don’t?”
Brandon and Serene are the only engaged duo from season 8 who are still going strong. (Victoria Fuller and Johnny DePhillipo split while the show was airing and she’s now dating Greg Grippo.) While Danielle and Michael A. are still dating, Jill Chin and Jacob Rapini are among the pairings trying to give things a shot post-BiP.
Genevieve Parisi and Aaron Clancy, however, were the most name-dropped by their costars when asked to name the twosome they were upset ended things.
“Oh God,” Genevieve said when Us told her the news. “Some people said [at the reunion], ‘I thought you guys were gonna kiss.’ And I was like, ‘No.’ … I think that our time there just showed that we are not compatible. There’s a little part of me that wonders if it was outside of Paradise if it could work. There is a little part of me that wondered that when I left. But I think that everything happened for a reason and he’s a good person. I believe I’m a good person, and we just didn’t mesh well.”
Aaron agreed. “I’ve turned the chapter. I think she has as well. We definitely talked [at the reunion] and we’re both very confident in our decision that we just simply can’t communicate in the proper way and we’re not right for each other,” he explained. “And I’m completely at peace with that. And I think she is too. But yeah, we still have a lot of love for each other, obviously. And she has a friend in me for life.”
Scroll through for more from the stars of BiP:
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Jesse Palmer
“Does anybody move faster than those two ever? Have you ever seen a couple connect as quick as they did and seemingly never have a fight? It kind of makes me mad,” Jesse quipped to Us about Serene and Brandon. “They finish each other’s sentences. I’m telling you, I say it all the time. Just meant for each other. If people don’t believe in love at first sight, you just gotta look at Brandon and Serene. You really do. Really so happy for them. So happy they were able to meet at the beach. I mean, they could get married tomorrow.”
The host named Johnny and Victoria as the most surprising split. “Obviously, a lot of people will be surprised because of how in love they were at the beach. I know they were both extremely hopeful and again, two amazing people that I wish the best for,” he said. “I hope at the [reunion] that they were able to have a meaningful conversation that gave them a little bit of closure and certainly wish them the best moving forward to.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Rodney Mathews
“Brittany and Tyler — that was shocking,” he said. “[They were] super happy. And so when I got here and I was like, ‘Wait, they’re not together … What?’”
When asked who will be next down the aisle, Rodney gushed about his pal Brandon and fiancée Serene. “He’s the man. We’re both very similar in a sense of everyone knows that we’re good, genuine men who are looking for the real thing,” he said. “And it’s very nice to see that our cast supports us in that. And I’m so glad that Brandon found his love story. For us to witness that firsthand is beautiful. Trust me, we’re gonna turn up at the wedding, I can’t wait.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Genevieve Parisi
Genevieve had the same answers as Rodney, telling Us about Tyler and Brittany: “That was shocking ‘cause the last time we saw them they were just making out, so in love. … I mean, I heard that they weren’t together, but seeing their conversation, I was very shocked.”
Speaking about who will go the long haul, she added: “A 100 percent Brandon and Serene. I could see Michael and Dani, eventually, [too].”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Salley Carson
“Honestly, I was kind of sad about Gen and Aaron. I know that their relationship is so toxic, but … I felt like they were just so fiery [and] in love,” Salley said.
She went on to gush about Michael A. and Danielle: “[I] love. I don’t even know them [and] I cried.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Hunter Haag
“I love the way that [Genevieve and Aaron] interact. I am all about it. I hope to see them together, maybe in the future. And they just vibe so well,” Hunter said. She added that she hopes Jill and Jacob and Michael A. and Danielle go the distance.
“We were bawling and I was like, ‘I don’t even know Danielle, and this is so freaking wonderful.’ I know Michael A. and I know he has a heart of gold,” she said.
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Jessenia Cruz
“I would say Rodney and Eliza,” Jessenia told Us of the most upsetting split. “There is a lot of potential there, but I think the Paradise landscape is so difficult to navigate. No matter what you do, you’re gonna hurt someone’s feelings. And yes, there’s that saying of you should explore options and all that. So I think Eliza navigated it as best as you possibly could, and I’m glad that they were able to have that chat at the reunion to kind of solidify where they stand.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Eliza Isichei
During the joint interview with Jessenia, Eliza also named her relationship with Rodney.
“I wish we would’ve stayed together too. I wish we just could have kept going steady and we didn’t get these obstacles thrown at us,” she said. “So that’s my answer. I mean, I know things didn’t work out like that, but of course, like I said, I wanted it to be him from the very beginning.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Jill Chin
“I honestly don’t feel like any should [get back together] just because the ones that ended were so toxic and just so clearly not right for each other. I can’t support anything like that,” she told Us, noting that she and Jacob would be the most upsetting if they weren’t giving things a shot.
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Brittany Galvin
“If there was any relationship that I wish got back together [it’s] Jill and Jacob — Tarzan and Jane,” she said, noting that the other former duos “didn’t work out because their personalities just didn’t mesh.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Logan Palmer
Logan named Brandon and Serene as first down the aisle — and has plans for his role in the nuptials. “I think I would DJ the wedding, probably. Maybe, play a little acoustic for them — slow dance,” he said.
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Aaron Clancy
“Brandon and Serene,” he told Us of first to wed. “I mean, if this was an aisle right here, I think they would do it if the parents were here. They’re one foot in already.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Natasha Parker
“I love Brandon and Serene. I mean, I don’t know them that well, but I’m like, ‘I wanna come to the wedding. I wanna cry!’” the BiP season 7 alum said.
When asked about the most upsetting split, Natasha responded: “Tyler and Brittany. The steam from my TV when they did their first kiss. I was like, ‘Ooh!’ I was really hopeful. She seemed super happy. He seems like a really great guy. I was sad to see them break up.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile
“Watching [Aaron and Genevieve] at the reunion, I just wish they weren’t so stubborn as individuals where they were just get together because they’re cute together. It was cute watching them,” Joe said.
Serena agreed, adding: “I think it didn’t work out between these couples; it just wasn’t meant to be. And I think we can understand kinda why everyone broke up. But Aaron and Genevieve, we were so fun to watch and yes, they had some crazy fights, but they also had some really cute moments. And we enjoy them both as people.”
Credit: Stewart Cook/ABC
Kira Mengistu and Romeo Alexander
The couple named Brandon and Serene as the first to tie the knot with Danielle and Michael A. to follow.