Colton Underwood is recalling the backlash he received during his battle with the coronavirus.
In an interview with TooFab, “The Bachelor” alum, who was one of the first celebrities to reveal he had tested positive for COVID-19, opened up about being hit with criticism on social media, including fans accusing him of using his celebrity status to obtain a test.
Underwood, 28, not only said these accusations were untrue but explained to TooFab in detail how difficult it was for him to get approved for a test.
When asked how he would respond to the critics, the reality star explained, “I would tell them I got denied for a test two times prior to getting the third — and the third [test], Amy, Cassie [Randolphs’] mother found on a Facebook post from a doctor here in Orange County. I drove down, immediately, called him and got very lucky to get the last spot of the day.”
“So it wasn’t my name, it wasn’t me being a celebrity. It was me just getting lucky and fighting for my health,” he continued, expressing that he wished everyone could get tests more easily. “And I know it’s a scary time right now, unfortunately. And I wish at the time there were tests for everybody. Even right now, we’re still running short, but everybody’s sort of scared. Everybody’s in the same boat. We’re fighting for our health.”
After sharing his positive diagnosis, Underwood continued to keep his fans updated when he was sick and even revealed the medication he was prescribed: the antibiotic Z-Pack and as well as the controversial drug hydroxychloroquine, which is primarily used to treat malaria. President Donald Trump has continuously praised the combination of the two drugs, though medical experts have urged caution.
While Underwood originally shared on social media that he had been prescribed the two drugs and credited them for curing him of the virus, he later deleted these details after it didn’t go over well with fans.
“I had received a lot of backlash for posting those medications and I wanted to avoid confusion just because I’m not a medical professional, but at the same time I was trying to be very open and very transparent about it,” he said before clarifying. “I will say this as a disclaimer. I’m not a medical professional. It might not work for everybody, but those two medications I truly believe worked really, really well for me. I know that [there are] risks, I know that there are side effects, but it beats the alternative of suffering and not being able to breathe.”
The former NFL athlete also revealed to TooFab why he threw shade at Trump on Twitter regarding the government’s response to the pandemic, only to later delete the tweet.
Last month, Trump tweeted that his White House press briefings were a “ratings hit” and had surpassed “The Bachelor.” And Underwood didn’t seem to take this lightly as he replied, “Hardly a time to boast ratings, but as someone who had both coronavirus and the title of the bachelor…we need to worry about different numbers and statistics right now. like test, death rate, & treatment.”
As for why he removed the tweet, Underwood told us he thought Trump’s message wasn’t appropriate and called it “very self-serving.”
“I haven’t really been open politically, but right now we need, we need leadership more than anything,” he expressed. “And a good leader needs good followers and sometimes it’s hard or frustrating to follow, you know, somebody who might not be doing everything you’re asking for. But at the same time, it’s our role as a nation to just be good followers, to try to support and be there for one another as human beings and show a little bit of compassion.”
Fortunately, the ABC star is now “fully recovered” from the virus after weeks of quarantining in a separate part of the house from Cassie Randolph and her family.
Underwood also opened up to TooFab about his memoir “The First Time,” why he decided to speak out about struggling with his sexuality and most importantly, how he really feels about being known as the Virgin Bachelor.
Underwood starred on Becca Kufrin’s season of “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise” before he was named “The Bachelor” for Season 21, becoming the first virgin to have that title.
And to say ABC went with that particular narrative throughout Underwood’s entire season is an understatement. In his book, Underwood explained how the producers came “annoyingly close to crossing the line” when it came to the virginity angle.
When we asked him if there was a point he felt that it went too far, he said, “I do think there was a moment where I had a conversation, I don’t know who I had it with, but I said, ‘Hey, let’s just keep the show about finding love, not about trying to get me laid.'”
He added, “I think the thing that I was trying to portray to them is like, ‘Hey guys, like I understand you have a story to tell. I understand there’s a storyline that fascinates you and the viewers, but I want to keep this show what it’s, you know, what it’s meant to be.'”
See more from Colton Underwood in our interviews, above!
“The First Time: Finding Myself and Looking for Love on Reality TV” is available now.
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