Amanda Marsh Caldwell, Original ‘Bachelor’ Winner, Makes a Surprising Comeback to ‘The Bachelorette’ After 15 Years!

Amanda Marsh Caldwell, the original recipient of the final rose, recently caught up with the latest season of The Bachelorette after a 15-year break. She shared her thoughts on Charity Lawson's journey on We's "Here for the Right Reasons" podcast.

"It was a delightful experience reflecting on the past, as time tends to make us forget so much. I did notice a slight difference though. There seemed to be less atmospheric music, which was all I could think of when my season aired. Whenever they replayed any small snippet of it, it felt like I was watching a low-budget film. However, I did not notice that on this current season," Amanda shared with Us. She further expressed her astonishment at the extravagant decor of the present Bachelor Mansion, finding it quite distracting with its multitude of colors and patterns. "And wow, the lip-smacking was immediate! It took me a long time to even exchange a peck on the cheek with Alex, let alone at a rose ceremony and amidst all those other people. I'm not saying it's wrong, just different. I was taken aback by how assertive everyone seemed to be," she added.

Fans of the show who have been following since the beginning will remember Alex Michel choosing Amanda over Trista Sutter on the inaugural season of The Bachelor in 2002. After nearly a year of dating, they decided to go their separate ways, realizing that they were not compatible in the real world.

Amanda Marsh and Charity Lawson Courtesy of Amanda Marsh/Instagram; ABC/Sami Drasin

"I don't think [contestants] really consider all of that," Amanda stated to Us. "It can be quite misleading. I had no prior knowledge of Alex. He was definitely intelligent and we had a connection, but I recall him picking me up in his light blue, two-door early 1980s Honda Accord for an MTV awards show. The passenger door wouldn't open, so I had to crawl over to the driver's side, and the hood was held together with duct tape. I don't even know if he was paid anything, if at all, back then. I do remember he had a terrible suit. But it felt genuine."

After Alex and Amanda ended their relationship, she welcomed her 13-year-old daughter, Chloe. She then got engaged to her partner, Chris, with whom she had been together for seven years.

"I vowed never to watch this [show] again," she exclaimed. "Although I had a great time in the past, I have no ill feelings, and I think it was fantastic. I genuinely hope Charity succeeds. She seems like a kind-hearted person, and you truly get engrossed in the show. It's strange, but when you're in isolation like this, you start feeling as if you have to choose someone or they're the only person left on earth. It's like a competition to win them over. And even though that's not really the case, psychologically, these contestants tend to adopt that mindset. It's quite powerful. I might continue watching a few episodes — the cringeworthy moments are surprisingly entertaining. I don't know, you might have turned me into a new fan."

Catch The Bachelorette on ABC every Monday at 9 p.m. ET. Keep reading for more fascinating insights from Amanda:

Regarding Charity:

"She's lovely. Some aspects of the production felt contrived, which could make someone appear less genuine, but that's not her fault. There was a lot of forced B-roll footage and exaggerated movements, like the twirls. Personally, I found it overwhelming. Thankfully, since I went first, our segment was a bit more subdued, maybe even boring, because I wouldn't be able to put on such a performance. Nevertheless, she's absolutely adorable."

When Jesse Palmer took over for Chris Harrison, I couldn't help but compare him to the longtime host. I actually remember Chris from his days on Designers' Challenge. I've always been somewhat of an old soul, so I knew who he was during our time filming. With Jesse, there were instances where he let loose and even dropped an F-bomb while playfully mocking Brayden's earring or his fashion with the scarf. It made me think, "Okay, maybe he's cool. Let's see more of that and less stiffness."

Watching the limo entrances at the premiere made me hesitate. It seemed like everyone had a gimmick or a way to stand out. Yet, all we did was walk up, shake his hand, and go inside. It was truly cringe-worthy to watch. Perhaps some felt pressured to do something outlandish because everyone else was doing it, but personally, I believe that being more memorable could be achieved by refraining from such painful acts.

Bei/Shutterstock

On the over-the-top dates with live performances:

On the upcoming season of 'Golden Bachelor':

"That sounds wonderful. And my initial query is, considering my profession, will their appearance age gracefully? Will they end up looking like cats due to excessive facial fillers? My initial hope is for them to resemble a normal person. Can we please have a touch of authenticity? I am not sure, but I would likely watch it out of curiosity."

You can catch The Bachelorette airing on ABC Mondays at 9 p.m. ET. To hear Amanda's complete thoughts on the first two episodes of Charity's season, tune in to We's "Here for the Right Reasons" podcast.