Colton Underwood ‘Would Love’ to Be Next ‘Bachelor’ Under One Condition

Colton Underwood for Bachelor? Fans of the Bachelorette alum might get their wish, at least as far as Underwood’s concerned.

The former NFL player told Us Weekly Tuesday at the Disney/ABC Television All-Star Happy Hour that if he doesn’t find love in the ongoing season of Bachelor in Paradise, he would be fully prepared to be the show’s next leading man.

“If I was single after Paradise, I would love it,” he said. “I know that this show can work. I’ve seen it with Garrett [Yrigoyen] and Becca Kufrin. I know what it did for me as a person and how it helped me grow into the man I am today. I would love the opportunity if I’m single after Paradise.”

Currently, fans of the Bachelor Nation show are watching Underwood and Bachelor alum Tia Booth confront their feelings for one another and their confusing past. In Underwood’s season of The Bachelorette, he admitted that he had dated Booth prior to coming on Kufrin’s season, and Booth even returned mid-season to tell her friend her feelings for him hadn’t gone away.

In Tuesday’s premiere of Paradise, Booth revealed that she and Underwood hadn’t spoken to his former flame since being sent home on The Bachelorette.

To Us, Underwood explained his decision not to contact Booth after his time on the season was over: “At the time, I felt like she played a part in a breakup of mine so there was no reason for me to reach out to her.”

That may have cost him time with Booth. When he arrived in Paradise, Booth had already gone on a date with Chris Randone, even kissing him, something Underwood didn’t know until after the two went on their own date to talk about their relationship.

“I didn’t find out she kissed Chris until after my date,” he said. “No, I think I went in there wanting to date openly. I went in there with an open mind. I expected the same from her. Tia and I didn’t talk after The Bachelorette so there was a lot left unsaid. One thing I will say is that my date with Tia was a conversation card. That wasn’t a date card.”

There’s certainly plenty of drama left between Booth and Underwood, but he said he’ll always count ex Kufrin as a friend.

“You know what, that was the cool thing about Becca. I always said, even when I was dating her, ‘No matter what happens in our relationship, I would love to continue our friendship after,’” he noted. “I think you saw that with Jason [Tartick].as well when they broke up. He said, ‘I would love to continue my friendship with Becca.’ Because that’s the type of woman she is. She’s so genuine, so real and thoughtful.”

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

Photo credit: ABC