Demi Burnett Recalls Drinking Alcohol to ‘Mask’ Autism on ‘The Bachelor’

Bachelor Nation’s Demi Burnett is reflecting on the online response surrounding her autism diagnosis.

“Lots of support on Instagram, but then on TikTok I get all the comments of people being like, ‘You weren’t like this on The Bachelor. You really switched it up,’” Burnett, 30, told People in an interview published on Sunday, May 4. “And I think that they are right in saying that. I was consuming copious amounts of alcohol during The Bachelor, so it should be a great example of seeing how someone can use alcohol to mask.”

Burnett, who has been sober since July 2021, appeared on Colton Underwood’s season 23 of The Bachelor in 2019 — and thinks fans can tell she’s “playing into a bit of whatever [she thinks] everyone wants” from her. (Underwood, 33, ended his season engaged to Cassie Randolph. After the pair called it quits, he tied the knot with husband Jordan C. Brown in 2023.)

“It’s so clearly someone putting on a show than now when I’m being vulnerable and open and raw and real and uncomfortable with all of it,” Burnett said. “Now it’s seen as putting on an act. It’s ironic. You can’t help but laugh.”

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Years after appearing on the Bachelor franchise, Burnett revealed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed as autistic following a psychological test. While opening up about her diagnosis, Burnett said on Sunday that she thinks reality TV “is great for neurodivergent people.”

“Everyone thinks no autistic person can ever do a reality show, and I’m like, ‘You have no idea how much an autistic person could thrive actually in that environment because they get support for the first time in their lives,’” she said. “Getting all that support on The Bachelor, it was the greatest. I have never been more supported in my life than I am on reality TV. You have people waiting on you hand and foot to get anything you ever need. Reality TV producers are literally the most support you could ever get. I was sobbing when I had to leave, and it wasn’t for Colton.”

After The Bachelor, Burnett appeared on season 6 of Bachelor in Paradise — where she publicly came out as bisexual and pursued a romance with ex-girlfriend Kristian Haggerty. The pair got engaged in the season finale, before announcing their split months later. Burnett returned to the beach for season 7.

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While reflecting on her dating life, Burnett exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2022 that she won’t ignore her hopes.

“I have my standards, I have my boundaries, and if you don’t want to meet them, you don’t have to be here,” Burnett said, adding that she wanted to “take away the stigma” of being single. “I have a lot of options out here! I’m not ready to settle down yet!”