Why did Lauren leave The Bachelor 2024? Explained

In the second episode of season 28 of The Bachelor, viewers witnessed this season's first self-elimination as Lauren Hollinger bid farewell to The Bachelor mansion. The season, which premiered on January 22, initially started with 32 female contestants competing for Joey Graziadei's heart.

The premiere episode set the stage, with 10 female contestants choosing to end their journey to a happily ever after with Joey. Episode 2 added four more contestants to the list of departures, including three eliminations and Lauren's self-elimination.

Lauren's decision to quit early was followed by her growing frustration stemming from not being able to spend any private time with Joey, as the bachelor was surrounded by many ladies, including her sister Allison.

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Why did Lauren leave Joey Graziadei's The Bachelor season 28?

In episode 2, Lauren was a part of the group that went on a wedding reception-themed group date with Joey. The ladies were brought to a room full of wedding dresses and were asked to dress like brides for the upcoming date. Nine of the 22 remaining contestants were a part of the group date and competed in a game of musical chairs to bag the coveted spot next to the groom.

The ladies were asked to behave as if they were at their own wedding and interact with guests. The whole scene was a bit hard for Lauren, as it stirred memories of her late father. She was taken over by grief as his memories came crashing down on her as she saw herself in the white dress.

At the after-party, she took the opportunity to confide in Joey. She opened up about her sorrow, expressing how she couldn't help but think how happy her father would've been if he had been there to witness her wedding day. Joey acted as a listening ear and completely understood where she came from.

But that wasn't enough for a grief-stricken Lauren. She wanted more private time with Joey to feel better and rise out of her grief. But there were too many ladies sharing Joey's time, which led to her frustration. She said in a confessional,

“It’s just a lot of girls that want to get time with him, and I want to get mine in. And the anticipation of waiting around to do that kind of gets to you.”

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Lauren's farewell to Joey and his reaction to it on episode 2 of season 28 of The Bachelor

Lauren was pushed beyond the edge after waiting around for Joey's attention. She decided to end her journey on the show and slammed the cake she arranged for the evening to the ground.

She told Joey, “I’m sorry that it had to happen this way,” and said that she'll maybe see him during the Hometowns episode. The Hometowns episode sees the bachelor visit his chosen lady's family, and Lauren wishes to see Joey alongside her sister Allison.

Joey was shocked to hear Lauren's decision and expressed disappointment over not being able to do enough to keep her. In a confessional, Joey said,

“I just wish I could have done something to make her more comfortable in that moment.”

Allison was saddened to have lost her "support system" on the show but respected her sister's exit. She went on to receive another rose of assertion from Joey, securing her place for one more episode.

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The show follows an eligible bachelor who tries to date a group of ladies at the same time in an attempt to find The One. New episodes of season 28 of The Bachelor air on ABC on Mondays at 8 pm ET and can also be streamed on Hulu.