Jonathon Johnson has been one of the least problematic men on Season 10 of Bachelor In Paradise. While he was a viewer fan-favorite, he didn’t win Jenn Tran’s love on The Bachelorette. He accepted the invitation to join Season 10 of BIP during the Men Tell All special last summer.
However, his behavior in this week’s episode turned off a lot of fans. The reality star took to social media to defend himself amid the unexpected backlash.
Bachelor In Paradise Star Caught In Lies
Bachelor In Paradise viewers are at the end of their ropes with contestants Dale Moss and Jeremy Simon. Both men are lying to their respective partners, Kat Izzo and Bailey Brown. Viewers didn’t expect to add Jonathon Johnson to the list of problematic men on Season 10.
But the tide has turned against Jonathon in the last few episodes. He previously shut down any romance with contestant Jill Chin. She ultimately quit the show after failing to find a connection with any of the other contestants.
Before he friend-zoned Jill, Jonathon had a brief flirtation with Golden contestant April Kirkwood, 67. She gave Jonathon her rose instead of any of the three remaining senior contestants. It was a gesture of friendship, not romance, but it still didn’t sit right with some viewers.
Since most of the other couples are already established, Jonathon Johnson didn’t have much of a choice when it came to pairing up with Bachelor alum Lea Cayanan. However, she didn’t realize that it was a partnership of convenience.
Jonathon Johnson confessed to Kat Izzo that he didn’t have any romantic interest in Lea. Of course, Kat immediately told Lea what Jonathon said. Lea was hurt but gave Jonathon her rose anyway.
When Jonathon posted photos from the recent episode on social media, Bachelor In Paradise fans pounced. Check out some of the comments:
- “U gotta get some game Jonathon!!!”
- “could of played it better, but it is what it is!!”
- “Wondering why you’re friend-zoning all the women in paradise? Go for it!”
- “Buddy what are ya doiiiiin”
- “Jonathan is acting awkward like he really does not want to be there at all.”
Jonathon Johnson Defends His Behavior
As a fan-favorite in Jenn’s season, Jonathon didn’t seem to expect backlash from viewers. He took to Instagram Story to share insight on why he friend-zoned Lea, April, and Jill. Jonathon revealed that he wasn’t in the best mental state going into Season 10, especially after waiting ten months to start filming the show. Bachelor In Paradise was on pause from November 2023 until the new season started in July 2025.
The former Bachelorette star recently revealed that he needed a mental reset after filming BIP, which seems to hint that he still single.
In follow-up Instagram Story slides, he said that he friend-zoned because he knows what he’s looking for but hasn’t found it yet.
What did you think of Jonathon’s behavior?
