Colton Underwood told his publicist he was gay a year ago: 'I was blackmailed'

Colton Underwood shook the internet and pop culture as a whole when he came out as gay during an exclusive and extensive sit-down interview with Robin Roberts for Good Morning America.

Exactly one month later, Friday (May 14), Underwood is addressing the controversial fallout that has since been associated with his coming out with Variety. The former Bachelor lead admitted, among many things, to what actually led to coming out on national television.

"I'll just say it," Underwood told Elizabeth Wagmeister. "I, at one point, during my rock bottom and spiral, was getting blackmailed. Nobody knows I was blackmailed."

Wagmeister then provided the backstory, which led to Underwood telling his publicist about his sexuality last year before publicly announcing it:

"According to him, last year, while living in Los Angeles, he secretly visited a spa known for catering to gay clientele. Shortly thereafter, he received an anonymous email, which has been reviewed by Variety, from someone claiming to have taken his photos at the venue. Underwood never saw the alleged photos and explains he was at the spa 'just to look,' saying he 'should have never been there.' The unidentified sender threatened to 'out' him in the press, and in a panic of paranoia, Underwood forwarded the email to his publicist, Alex Spieller, which forced him to finally have an honest conversation about his sexual orientation."

The primary controversy surrounding Underwood's renewed position in the spotlight has been because of the September 2020 restraining order filed by his ex-girlfriend Cassie Rudolph, whom he met on The Bachelor, that alleged stalking and "planting a tracking device" on her car (h/t TMZ). Rudolph dropped the suit in November 2020.

"I would say that I've ran from myself for 29 years," Underwood said when Wagmeister confronted him about his harassment of Rudolph. "There is no excuse for any behavior of mine that was holding onto this straight identity or that was operating out of fear of being gay and being outed."

A Change.org petition aiming to cancel Underwood's forthcoming unscripted Netflix reality series because of his past behavior toward Rudolph began circulating and has accumulated over 35,000 signatures.

Wagmeister explained that, too:

"After they split, Underwood and Randolph were filming a new reality show together in the summer of 2020 with Jeff Jenkins Productions, Variety has learned. The show, which was developed, but never formally pitched, would have followed the exes’ life as friends in L.A., but the project collapsed with the restraining order and police investigation, which Randolph requested was dropped in November 2020. Later, as Underwood’s very small inner circle came to learn about his sexuality, the production company pitched him on the idea of a show about his journey coming out, and after five months of therapy and meeting with a psychiatrist, Underwood decided his story could help others. The show ultimately sold to Netflix, and is slated to premiere later this year."

Watch portions of Underwood's Variety and GMA interviews below.