Clayton Echard Speaks Out After His Controversial Fantasy Suites Episode

The Fantasy Suites episode is always a must-watch in any season of "The Bachelor." Typically the most drama-filled and reliably sauciest installment, this episode sees the guy in question taking a selection of his favorite ladies into a more private setting so they can get to know each other better. 

Current Bachelor Clayton Echard was a controversial choice to lead the series from the outset, as E! News notes, because fans weren't terribly impressed with him during his run as a contestant on "The Bachelorette."

While appearing on the podcast "Clickbait with Bachelor Nation," the reality star admitted that he fully expected to "face criticism" for some of his actions on the hit ABC show, acknowledging that he didn't always behave perfectly so fans were likely right to call him out — at least, in certain instances. 

However, the Bachelor also defended himself in a way. "Today's day and age, everybody likes to jump and push their opinion out as quick as they can," he said, especially thanks to the advent of social media, where everything is instantaneous. 

Unsurprisingly, Twitter wasn't impressed with his Fantasy Suites episode, leading Clayton to attempt to explain his position once and for all.  

As Cosmopolitan details, Clayton Echard was heavily criticized for essentially telling all three women the same thing during his Fantasy Suites episode. The current Bachelor was seemingly overcome with emotion and confessed his love to Rachel, Gabby, and Susie. 

However, after admitting to sleeping with Rachel and Gabby, Susie was distraught. "If I'm sharing your love with somebody else, I don't think that I would be comfortable," she told Clayton. 

Then, arguably in an attempt to blame her for the relationship breaking down, he told Susie, "I don't even know who I'm looking at anymore." Then he sent her home.

Although he initially appeared unrepentant, according to Us Weekly, Clayton walks back some of his comments during an upcoming appearance on Kaitlyn Bristowe's "Off the Vine" podcast. "I compartmentalized, I guess, too well to the point where I was just all in with these women," the reality star admitted. 

As far as Clayton is concerned, though, he was speaking from the heart and doesn't have a large enough vocabulary to communicate his feelings.

"So I felt these feelings of love and they were genuine — if anything I felt so similar with every one of the connections that that's why the same things were being said, because I felt that way genuinely," he explained.

Clayton also thought Susie would be fine with him sleeping with the other two women since she was OK with him kissing them. He acknowledged being "embarrassed" by his harsh reaction to her, though.