The Bachelorette contestant Logan Palmer released a statement regarding his mental health, following his abrupt departure from the show on Monday’s episode. Host Jesse Palmer blamed the reason for Logan’s exit on a postive Covid test, but it seems there may have been more to the story.
Logan shared on Instagram that he has “struggled” with his well-being since the age of 12 and found the process of competing on a reality TV show “more difficult” than he “ever thought possible,” as reported by Page Six.
“Destructive thoughts and constant doubt are hurdles that I think everyone relates to at some point but not everyone talks about,” he wrote. “I want to be transparent about that part of my journey too, and I hope I can be a safe place for others who struggle with it. Acknowledging my mental health and how it affects those around me will be a priority in my life moving forward.”
Logan admitted that his time on the show “wasn’t all roses,” but assured Bachelor Nation that he was “grateful” for having had the opportunity.
Before going on the show, Logan explained, “I figured it was something new, it was an adventure. But I came out the other side with much more than an experience. I came out of this with real feelings, strong emotions, lessons learned, and a lot to be grateful for.”
The Northern Arizona University alum also apologized to Bachelorette Rachel Recchia for switching from her group of suitors to that of her co-lead Gabby Windey, prior to his early departure.
“I’m sorry that I added more difficulty to an already challenging journey. That was never my intention, but it was inspiring how strong you were through it all,” Logan wrote. (Did he not see Rachel cancel her group date with the other guys and spend the day crying in her luxurious cruise ship cabin after he told her he wanted to persue Gabby?)
Logan then acknowledged that the “stars didn’t quite align” for him and Gabby in the end, but he thanked her for making him a “better person.”
“Watching myself on Monday nights gave me a different perspective,” he wrote. “I will always be someone who will steer with their heart whether it is popular or not. But in the future, I want to lead with intention and pursue with purpose. I am ready to bring those lessons back into to my life.”
Logan quietly left the show ahead of hometown dates, and Gabby was told that he had tested positive for Covid. The other men were told only that there was “a situation with Logan,” and the evening’s cocktail party was canceled. (Oddly though, it didn’t seem that anyone informed the men that they’d been exposed to Covid — if they actually were. Was Covid just used to excuse Logan’s sudden exit from the show?)
By the end of the episode, however, Gabby announced, “Logan can’t be joining us for the rest of our journey,” signaling that he had chosen to eliminate himself.
I’m glad Logan realized that it was best to remove himself from the competition, especially before going into the all-important Home Town Week and bringing Gabby home to meet his family. But the question remains: did Logan ever actually have Covid? Or did the producers decide that was a gentler way to remove him from the show, rather than telling Gabby he wanted to leave and having her go into yet another tail-spin of rejection and self doubt? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if the issue is addressed at the Men Tell All.
Meanwhile, I wish Logan nothing but the best while he seeks to make decisions for his own well-being. Making your own mental health a priority is nothing other than a healthy choice. Good for him!
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT LOGAN’S EXIT? DO YOU WANT TO SEE HIM ON BACHELOR IN PARADISE?
[Photo Credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth]
