Right as The Bachelorette was kicking off season 16 in October, contestant Uzoma “Eazy” Nwachukwu, a former NFL player and sports marketing agent, was accused of sexual assault.
During the Bachelorette premiere, Nwachukwu introduced himself to Clare Crawley running through a giant sign that read "your future husband," a nod to his high school football playing days. Immediately, host Chris Harrison noted that the funnyman would become a "fan favourite." However, an unidentified woman revealed soon after in a thread of since-deleted tweets (at the recommendation of her lawyers) that she had a non-consensual sexual encounter with Nwachukwu. “I will not stand by quietly anymore, while this aggressor is paraded around on this show as a ‘stand up guy’ or as the ‘comic,'” she wrote.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
At the time, longtime Bachelor Nation insider Reality Steve (aka Stephen Carbone) said that he had talked to the Nwachukwu's accuser privately and assumed that the contestant would be booted from any future Bachelor franchises. "Take a good look at Eazy because I don't think you'll be seeing him in this franchise ever again," he wrote in his October 14 episode recap. "Some serious allegations against him arose on social media last night. I spoke with the woman involved. Not good, I'll leave it at that."
According to the blogger, the woman had spoken with NZK Productions's legal team, who had in turn met with Nwachukwu, "so now the show is 100% aware of allegations against him.” The accuser told Heavy that there was a lot of back and forth ("it’s he said, she said”). "I told them I spoke my truth so I can no longer carry guilt, if something happens from here, it’s not on me, it’s on them,” she said.
Those who watch the show will notice that Nwachukwu is still very much present (it was filmed this past summer), but it seems that his interactions with Crawley and Tayshia Adams (who replaced Crawley halfway through the season) have been largely cut out. This week, however, previews for the December 2 episode show that Nwachukwu will have a one-on-one date with Adams, and reveal that he's falling in love with her.
Right now there are a dozen men left, but if the numbers start to dwindle and Nwachukwu is kept around, the producers might find themselves in even more hot water. As as for a stint in the next installment of Bachelor In Paradise? "Inconclusive" investigation or not, we're sure Bachelor Nation has other options.