Many people love watching The Bachelor, which is evident from its 29-season run on TV. But San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner knows what actually goes on behind the scenes of that so-called reality show. Not because he’s been on it, but because his wife, Sydney, competed in 2020.
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She goes by Sydney Warner now, but back then, she was Sydney Hightower. Featured on Season 24, when Peter Weber was The Bachelor, she was eliminated in Week 6. Warner later reached out to her on social media, and the rest is history. He and Sydney now have two kids.
Recently, when appearing on Amon-Ra St. Brown’s podcast, Warner opened up about some behind-the-scenes tea his wife shared with him. And fans might want to brace themselves, because the revelation could seriously shatter the illusion.
“Oh, bro, it’s completely fake,” Warner revealed on the St. Brown Podcast. “They’re feeding things into people’s ears. Like, ‘Hey, y’all need to go and say this and stir the pot.’ It’s all for entertainment value. It’s not just these girls are going out of their way to act crazy.”
Many fans of The Bachelor have probably wondered why there’s so much drama in every episode. Why the women constantly clash with each other over the man they’re competing for. It’s because that’s what makes for some of the most viral and unforgettable moments.
Is The Bachelor real or fake?
Fred Warner, whose wife was on the show, says that not everything on the show is completely real pic.twitter.com/rlZGD9jXnL
— St. Brown Podcast (@StBrownPodcast) February 17, 2026
According to Warner, though, all of this drama is calculated. After all, it’s an entertainment show. Few fans watch The Bachelor for its realistic depiction of a relationship, because it’s not realistic for one man to have 25 to 30 women begging for a proposal.
And as Warner says, if every woman were always keeping to herself, the show wouldn’t be as popular. That’s why it’s not too surprising to hear that some dialogue is pushed throughout filming.
On top of this, The Bachelor is also a heavily produced and edited show set in a controlled environment. Producers look to prompt specific reactions from contestants by coaching them. In the end, it creates a narrative that feels more produced than organic.
All in all, Warner’s revelation might break the hearts of fans who still believe in the show’s authenticity. But it’s been well known for years that The Bachelor isn’t entirely real and should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s still interesting to hear the specific ways the show shapes its contestants’ behavior.
