What Happened To JJ Lane After The Bachelorette?
The chances of finding love on "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette" are somewhat slim. Although the franchise has been a staple since the early aughts and has featured multiple seasons and spin-offs, the couples that end up together don't have high success rates (via Refinery29). According to figures reported by Distractify, their relationships last an average of 9.2 months before fizzling out. Despite the long odds, many have given it a shot, hoping they can make it work. However, that was not the case when JJ Lane signed on for the 11th season of "The Bachelorette" in 2015.
Lane was depicted as something of a villain during his time on the season where he and other men vied for Kaitlyn Bristowe's heart. Ultimately, he did not win, and his luck didn't improve during a run on "Bachelor In Paradise." Although he failed to find love, there was another victory. It's generally accepted that his appearance on "Bachelor In Paradise" resulted in a redemption arc for the previously misunderstood contestant.
Fellow "Bachelor In Paradise" contestant Jared Haibon opened up about him to TV Guide. "He struggled early on in 'The Bachelorette,'" Haibon admitted. "He definitely made some mistakes, but JJ's true colors came out in 'Paradise' and I think he'll surprise people with how great of a human being he is." The publication noted that viewers would fall in love with him.
All of this went down years ago, though. What's Lane been up to since? Read on to find out.
JJ Lane married Kayla Hughes in 2020
A contestant is not likely to end a stint on "The Bachelorette" with their soulmate. But there's a caveat: E! noted that plenty of people who compete on the show find love elsewhere once the cameras stop rolling. JJ Lane is very much one of those belated success stories. He didn't wind up with Kaitlyn Bristowe, and Bristowe is no longer with the season's winner Shawn Booth, either (via People). But have no fear, because both of them found love elsewhere.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Bristowe got engaged (via Vulture). Meanwhile, Lane found love in 2017 when he began dating former NFL cheerleader Kayla Hughes. He proposed in 2019 and shared the news with a sweet Instagram update. "I can't wait to marry my best friend, my love, and the woman that has made me better since the day we met," he gushed. Too cute!
They had a Leap Year wedding and said "I do" on February 29, 2020. The guest list included several other "Bachelor" alums, such as Jade and Tanner Tolbert and Chris Soules. People got an exclusive look at the chic couple's wedding pics. However, Lane managed to get a slick dig in about his reality show past in the caption of an Instagram post of his own. "Didn't have to win a reality show to find the woman of my dreams," Lane bragged. There's another woman in his life, too.
He has a daughter named Gemma
It's been years since his run on "The Bachelorette," so you may have forgotten that JJ Lane is a father. His daughter Gemma, from a previous relationship, was 3 when he competed on the show in 2015. He told Sarah Scoop that being away from her was "by far the hardest aspect of the show for me" and recounted a heartbreaking phone call they shared during filming. The pair apparently enjoyed a trip to Disneyland after he finished up on the show.
Fans of Lane have been able to watch Gemma grow up via posts on Instagram. Based on the photos there, it seems like she's an athlete who's played volleyball, baseball, and hockey. Plenty of his updates on the app are from some sort of sporting event where she is competing, and, like most dads, he seems to enjoy bragging about her accomplishments.
He's also gushed about how his wife Kayla stepped up as a mother to the young girl. "You didn't have to take this role, and it's been challenging over the last year, but you have persevered," he wrote in a sweet Mother's Day post. "Your love for Gemma knows no bounds and how you included her in the wedding was one of the most special moments of my life. We both love you so much and thank you for choosing us" (via Instagram).
JJ Lane is an investment banker
JJ Lane was referred to as a "former investment banker" during his time on "The Bachelorette." However, he told Sarah Scoop that he had a successful career before joining the show even if he was technically "unemployed" when he signed on. What did he do? He worked with J.P. Morgan's Natural Resources group in New York City. After that, he continued working as an investment banker with a new firm in Denver. However, he left the position three years before signing on for his reality TV debut. In that time he founded several businesses, none of which were dubbed a material success.
Lane admitted to having a tough time finding work after leaving the reality TV world, too. "I didn't understand the magnitude of the show and how hard it is to get a real job right after," he explained. "Everyone knows who you are and employers see it as a distraction" (via Insider). While it's not clear where he works now, it appears that he lives in Denver, Colorado (via Cosmopolitan). It also seems that he's still working as an investment banker. In the post about his wedding photos, People dropped the "former" from his job title.
An avid hockey fan, he also did some broadcasting work for the University of Denver hockey team in 2017 (via Let's Go DU). It's no secret where Gemma gets her athleticism from!
Now you're all caught up in the world of JJ Lane.