If Jonathan Bennett thought he was safe standing on the sidelines of the Hallmark Channel competition series he co-created and hosts, “Finding Mr. Christmas,” he was sorely mistaken.
The remaining seven contestants, all vying to be Hallmark’s next leading man, hilariously had it in for Bennett during season two’s fourth episode, which premiered on November 17, 2025. From tackling him to roasting him, the hunky hopefuls got a bit of payback for all that Bennett has put them through so far.
‘Finding Mr. Christmas’ Contestants Swarmed Jonathan Bennett After Slippery Slope Challenge
In the Festive Face-Off portion of the episode, the guys had to make their way up the “Slippery Slope” — a hill covered in Crisco and foam — three times to get their giant candy canes into a bucket at the top.
The challenge was physically grueling; some men never made it up the hill and one of the leading contenders, Gabriel Thaxton, nearly threw up from exhaustion. Even Bennett’s super-fit husband, Jaymes Vaughan, admitted to EntertainmentNow that before the contestants arrived, he could barely make his way up the hill after 15 minutes of trying.
Contestant Rustin Sailors wrote on Instagram, “Look I need you all to understand how insanely difficult this was ….. we were water beads on glass 💦 🪟 ❄️ haha”
Once the challenge was over, with Angel Garet managing to win, the guys got a bit of revenge on Bennett. As lead judge Melissa Peterman quickly backed away, the contestants — covered in Crisco and sweat — swarmed Bennett, perfectly coiffed in a blue sweater and stylish jeans on the sidelines.
“Me and the guys give each other the eye,” contestant Craig Geoghan told producers, and Robbie Simpson grinned, “We’re going to give Jonathan Bennett a taste of his own medicine.”
The men circled around Bennett and pulled him over to the slope as he laughed and yelped, “Oh no!” As they glopped handfuls of Crisco and foam on him — including into his perfectly styled hair — he hilariously yelled, “I’m so sorry I put you through this!”
Robbie Simpson Roasts Jonathan Bennett in Talent Show
Simpson, who never made it up the hill despite countless attempts, amusingly let out his frustrations in the next round — a talent show judged by a live audience and Hallmark super fans Gail Stansell and Alicia Griffin-Powell, who stole viewers’ hearts on Hallmark’s “Christmas at Sea” series that aired in July.
As each contestant performed a special talent or skill, Simpson tried his hand at stand-up comedy, roasting Bennett during his set.
“I am honored to be here with Jonathan Bennett,” Simpson began one joke, as the actor peeked out from backstage with a smirk. “In ‘Mean Girls,’ Jonathan was the high school heartthrob. On Hallmark, he’s more like the high school principal!”
Bennett laughed heartily offstage and Peterman kicked up her leg, hilariously shouting, “Boom!”
Simpson, who works as a theater director in New York, then continued, “Christmas — it’s not about the trees, it’s not about the eggnog. It’s about family. It’s about togetherness. And learning that if Jonathan Bennett can make it on Hallmark, anything is possible!”
At the end of Simpson’s set, Bennett told the crowd, “They say the best form of flattery is to be roasted, and so thank you, Robbie!”
Things Turned Serious After Robbie Simpson’s Stand-Up Set
Spoiler Alert: If you don’t want to know the results of “Finding Mr. Christmas” week four, please stop reading here.
After Simpson’s performance, he called it “one of the coolest experiences of my life.” But things turned serious as Stansell and Griffin-Powell tossed him questions to answer on the spot, as they did with all of the contestants.
When he was asked to name one thing in his life he wishes he could re-do, Simpson’s answer brought tears to the eyes of many, including Peterman, who was watching backstage.
“About 10 years ago, my mom had a heart attack,” Simpson said. “And I spoke to her on the phone and she said it was a minor heart attack, that it wasn’t a big deal. So she said, ‘Don’t come home.’ And I thought, ‘The best thing I can do for her is honor her wishes. I’m not gonna go home.'”
“About a week later,” he continued, “she had a stroke and was in a coma and never woke up. So I never got that chance to see her or be with her or say goodbye. So if I could go back and re-do anything, I would go home the second that happened. It’s something I think about far too often.”
Festive Face-Off winner Garet had been given immunity to keep for himself or give to another contestant — and at the elimination ceremony, he passed it on to Simpson to ensure he’d get another week. But it actually wasn’t necessary. The combination of Simpson’s bravery at trying stand-up and opening up about his mom in front of a room of strangers had already convinced the judges he was the winner of the challenge.
The bottom two contestants, per the judges, were Thaxton, who was in the bottom for the third week in a row, and Geoghan. Thaxton wound up being sent “home for the holidays,” leaving six men left. The next episode premieres on November 24 at 8 p.m. Eastern, but you can catch up on “Finding Mr. Christmas” via Hallmark+.
