Ashley Iaconetti opened up about her decision to return to reality TV eight years after last filming for “The Bachelor” franchise. The “Bachelor in Paradise’ alum moved to Bravo as part of the “Real Housewives of Rhode Island,” and she recently explained her decision to do so.
“I’ve always loved doing it,” Iaconetti told Variety in an interview published in March 2026. “It’s always been so fun for me. The opportunity to do ‘The Bachelor’ gave me my entire life, my family, my career, and I’m just forever grateful for that. I was always open to doing more of it if the opportunity presented itself, and it did. And it’s a whole other world, I’ll tell you that.“
Iaconetti noted that RHORI was “more mixed into your real life” than “The Bachelor” because it was filmed in her home and with her family. “And so that was something that [my husband] Jared and I discussed,” she shared. “We went over the decision for over a month, to be honest, because we were in such a happy, great place. And we’re like, ‘Do we jump into this again?’ We know how world-rocking it can be, so it took a lot of thought and consideration.”
“It took us a lot of deep conversations, but given the opportunity, how could I say no?” Iaconetti added in an interview with PauseRewind.
Iaconetti was a bachelorette on Chris Soules’ season of “The Bachelor” in 2015, before appearing in “Bachelor in Paradise” seasons 2 and 3. She also competed in “The Bachelor: Winter Games.” She met her future husband, Jared Haibon, while filming “Paradise.”
Ashley Iaconetti Said RHORI Had More Drama Than ‘The Bachelor’
Bravo“The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” follows the lives and loves of a wealthy friend group in the Ocean State. Iaconetti is the first to admit the Bravo reality show had more drama than anything she experienced as part of Bachelor Nation.
“On ‘Bachelor,’ it’s about love and drama, and on ‘Housewives’ it’s a little bit more about drama, that’s the big difference for me,” she told PauseRewind. “It was a totally different experience.”
The reality TV veteran said fans will see a new side of her on Bravo because she isn’t as involved in the drama.
“I’m so convinced that people are going to be disappointed in me from Bachelor Nation, because I actually did not deliver the drama,” Iaconetti admitted to Variety. “I’ve always only been dramatic about love. …It’ll be interesting to see the way that a Bravo audience takes to me because they’re gonna be like, ‘Why is this girl who doesn’t get into fights on this show?”
Ashley Iaconetti Was Nervous to Meet 1 RHORI Star
BravoIn addition to Iaconetti, “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” stars Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, and Jo-Ellen Tiberi. Dolores Catania is a “friend” of the cast.
Iaconetti admitted she was “scared” to meet Tiberi because she had heard rumors about her before filming. “Jo-Ellen turned out to be quite friendly and far more approachable than I would ever imagine,’ she said.
Of the cast overall, Iaconetti told People magazine that the RHORI ladies “definitely have a different personality” than she’s used to.
“They’re a lot more rough around the edges, a lot less filtered,” she said. “They’ve got stuff going on, I’ll say that. They put shame to calling a Bachelor season dramatic.”
Ashley, you just a kind and beautiful young woman. Be yourself and the fans will love you. There is always one peacemaker on the show. You only need one very good friend. Give the coffee house time to bloom. Don’t give up the dream. Many women have to carry the family load because jobs take the husbands away. Sounds like a great marriage otherwise.