‘Bachelor’ Colton Underwood Defends His Kissing Skills After Exes Diss Him on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’

Colton Underwood and girlfriend Cassie Randolph aren’t paying any attention to the criticism of his kissing skills from the former Bachelor’s exes on Bachelor in Paradise. After being called out by three of his former suitors for being their worst kiss ever during an episode of the Bachelor Nation summer show last month, Underwood opened up about the slight to Us Weekly.

“They film a lot of hours, I don’t know how that ended up making the cut, but it did, so the only person who really matters that likes my kissing is Cassie at this point. Cassie said I was a good kisser so that’s all that matters,” Underwood told the outlet, making it clear that “kissing is a preference.”

“Even like with Cass, everybody has their preferences,” he continued. “You work together to know each other and get to know what each other likes.”

The former NFL player’s kissing abilities were called into question by Caitlin Clemmens and Sydney Lotuaco on an Aug. 26 episode of Bachelor in Paradise, as the singles were discussing their kissing histories. Tayshia Adams, who made it to Underwood’s Final Three, hesitantly agreed: “Yeah, not gonna lie. But he got better by the end of the season… I think I’m a good teacher.”

Underwood might not be concerned about his kissing reputation, but he admittedly was taken aback at his exes’ willingness to go there on national TV, saying he would “never air anybody else’s dirty laundry.”

“It’s not my place now because I’m happy and I’m so focused on my relationship, but to be honest with you, it’s not my business. And it’s not the world’s business to know that,” he explained. “I think it’s sort of an intimate thing that should remain — I mean even if you break up with your ex, you’re not going to go, ‘Oh, he was a bad kisser.’”

Bachelor in Paradise airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Photo credit: Allen Berezovsky, Getty