Julie LaPlaca admits in “The Love Producer” that she was more vulnerable with Weber than her own boyfriend.

Former Bachelor producer to reveal details of relationship with lead Peter Weber in ‘juicy’ book: ‘The lines became blurred’ (exclusive)

Julie LaPlaca admits in “The Love Producer” that she was more vulnerable with Weber than her own boyfriend.

By Sarah Hearon

April 2, 2026 9:34 a.m. ET

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Author Julie Laplaca and former Bachelor Peter Weber. Credit:

Boris Brenman; Getty

Bachelor Nation, get ready to spiral like it’s 2020 again.

Former *Bachelor* producer Julie LaPlaca is pulling back the curtain on her time with the franchise, including her long-rumored relationship with season 24 star Peter Weber, in her upcoming book, *The Love Producer.*

“I spent all my years getting people to be vulnerable and share their heart on the show,” LaPlaca tells *. *“And I realized I had shielded mine.”

LaPlaca joined *The Bachelor* franchise as a date producer — brainstorming date ideas, scouting locations, negotiating trade-outs with the hotels and tourism boards — during Andi Dorfman’s season of *The Bachelorette* in 2014. She had previously worked on *The Doctors.*

Author Julie Laplaca.

Keeley Kennahan

For Hannah Brown’s season in 2019, LaPlaca was tapped to work directly with the lead for the first time. “You're basically with them 24/7. You're doing all their interviews, prepping them for all their dates, and helping guide them on their entire journey,” she explained. “The storyteller side of me was really excited when I made that shift because we're really crafting a 20-hour rom-com.”

Brown’s season introduced fans to Weber, the pilot with whom the Alabama pageant queen infamously got intimate in a windmill before sending him home. Weber was subsequently selected as the next Bachelor, with his season filming in fall 2019 and premiering in January 2020. At the time, there was a lot of speculation about how Weber’s season ended — including a theory that he was secretly with his producer, later revealed to be LaPlaca.

The theory spawned after the pair spent New Year's Eve together as part of promo and persisted when ABC executive Rob Mills and then-*Bachelor* host Chris Harrison trolled Bachelor Nation by neither confirming nor denying the rumor as the season aired. LaPlaca finally addressed the speculation after the season ended, writing on Instagram that they "didn't kiss at midnight."

“Reality TV doesn't always air the full reality,” LaPlaca now tells EW. “I will be sharing my truth that I suppressed for a while. I dealt with some shame and some fear around sharing it. And part of my journey was working through that and allowing myself to get to a place to be fully vulnerable — like I got so many cast members to do. Every woman should own her story and own her truth. … It's very juicy and Bachelor Nation is going to love it.”

On screen, fans saw Weber get engaged to Hannah Ann Sluss, but he ended their relationship while the show was still airing. While there was a push on *After the Final Rose* for Weber and runner-up Madi Prewett to reconnect, they released a statement two days after the episode aired confirming that they weren’t together.

“Peter and I instantly connected,” LaPlaca says. “He felt like an immediate best friend. My job is digging into his heart, getting him to be vulnerable — and I was doing the same. There were moments where I was like, 'Wow, I'm more open with Peter than I was with my boyfriend of five years.' There's this interesting bond that people don't see, the intimacy that the lead producers have with the people they're with. ... It got complicated and lines became blurred.”

*The Love Producer*, which EW understands dives into details of her relationship with Weber, is available for pre-order now. EW has reached out to Weber for comment.

Below, LaPlaca, who left the franchise after Matt James’ season in 2021, shares more about her book, looks back on memorable moments from her tenure, and weighs in on the current status of the franchise as Taylor Frankie Paul’s season remains in limbo amid controversy.

**: How would you describe* The Love Producer?***

**JULIE LAPLACA**: *The Love Producer* is about me, the girl who was always behind the scenes, never the lead, helping everyone else find love. And as a result, neglecting my own love and happiness.Then I was linked in the tabloids to a Bachelor and got a little entangled with that fantasy, which ultimately led me to a mid-30s meltdown, where I quit and embarked on my own journey for love.

**How do you feel about it coming out this summer?**

I'm actually very terrified and excited. I've always been a people pleaser. I've always wanted to make everyone happy. Because of that, I've stayed a little small and I have suppressed my truth. It's scary, but if something doesn't scare you, you're not pushing yourself hard enough, right?

**How did working on *The Bachelor* influence your own journey?**

It was really interesting because I was getting older and older, and the contestants were getting younger and younger and you're like, 'Oh my God.' I think a lot of women in their 30s go through this moment. I'm a strong, independent woman, focused on growing my career. The ultimate tipping point is my executives were talking about my two-year plan to run the show. And I'm like, “Two-year plan? I'll be 38 in two years. If I ever want to find love, I need to get out of here.” And on a deeper level, feeling like, “Okay, is this my sole purpose in my life to work on this show or is there something more for me?” I was feeling that inner itch on the soul level.

**What do you think the biggest misconceptions about reality TV producers is?**

I hope my book paints another picture of producers because yes, they are all the viral memes of the evil, manipulative producers. And of course, we are creating a show; that is our job. There are certain elements of it that you create scenarios. But there's also the other side. We become a big family and you are rooting for them and you want them to find love. I would cry all the time when they got their happy ending, even if the bubble popped afterwards. It's still like a beautiful romantic journey. There's the evil producers and then there's the hopeless romantic producers, I say.

**How do you avoid crossing that line?**

I never got to a point where I was like, “Oh, this doesn't sit well with my conscience.” Luckily, especially when you're working with the lead, the big bosses will take the fall for some of the stuff. But it's a tricky balance, for sure. What is the line — obviously, there's certain stuff you have to do and that may even be what ultimately was part of me leaving the show, especially with Peter. We became really close as friends too. And that was a really intense, sort of spiral of things with him. It can impact you on an emotional level.

Peter Weber as the Bachelor.

**What do you think Peter is going to think of the book?**

He's not happy about it.

**His season really continued after the show when he started to date his contestant Kelley Flanagan on and off for years. What happened with you and Peter post-show?**

Immediately after, I dealt with a lot of hurt. I don't think Kelley wanted him to talk to me. That was my understanding, so we lost contact. ... We had become so close. For nine months, I spent every day with him. There was a grief period there for many reasons. Then once they broke up, we reconnected and were friends and stayed in touch here and there and had a few moments.

I'll get into it all and the complications there [in the book]. ... Peter has a bad rep, but I really adore him as a person. I think he's a wonderful person. He had a complicated season, but as a person, he means well and he's a really good guy.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter******.***

**Many fans consider Hannah and Peter's seasons among the peak eras of *The Bachelor*. Why do you think the show has struggled a bit since then?**

Culturally, people were drawn to these more raunchy shows like *Love Island* and everything. Some people maybe look at *The Bachelor* as a false image of love and it's just a fairy tale and that's not real life, so they're more drawn to these messy shows. But I do say when you lose the face of the show with Chris [Harrison] and then also starting to lose the heart of the show, because there's a lot of people coming on — this was peak of influencers becoming a thing — you've lost two really kind of essential things that made *The Bachelor* different than these shows.

**You were a part of other memorable seasons like season 22 of *The Bachelor* when Arie Luyendyk Jr. changed his mind and broke up with fiancée Becca Kufrin for Lauren Burnham. What do you remember about that situation? **

I remember getting a call, I had a little secret meeting. This was when I was still on the date team and they're like, "We need you to find us a house that we could film in two days." It was sad and intense, but it's real life. And in the end, I mean, look at Arie and Lauren. They have four beautiful kids and it was the right move for him. To me, that's a success.

Former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay thinks the show is 'over' for good after Taylor Frankie Paul scandal

District attorney evaluating how new Taylor Frankie Paul allegations might affect her 2023 plea deal

People are always like, 'How do they fall in love with two people? That's not real.' But I've really seen it happen. When you're in that environment — you really do form these deep feelings for multiple people. I don't know how to explain it. It happens. Of course, when you're out of the bubble, it's like,”'Okay, real life. Do we align? Are values aligned?” Some of the stuff they probably ignore talking about when they're in their love bubble. But with reality TV, some of the most interesting and compelling stuff is the real stuff that we can't plan or count on. You look at Colton [Underwood]'s fence jump, Barb's reaction with Peter at the finale. There's certain things we can't control, but that's real life and that is compelling.

**You mention Colton, that must have been a crazy time behind the scenes when he came out as gay on *Good Morning America. ***

I'm really happy he came out. I'm glad he's living fully in his truth. I know there's been a lot of drama with that. I try to have empathy and compassion for people. I know Colton had some chaos with Cassie, and it's sad. But I also know looking at what he was struggling with internally at that time, it had to be him trying to hold onto whatever he could.

**You also worked on *Bachelor in Paradise*, which recently just tried to revamp with mixed reviews. What should production do next with that show?**

I think they should bring back some of the older contestants, the ones that aren't married, and bring back some of those iconic people from those glory years. Go back to Playa Escondida. Bring it back to its roots. Bring back the crabs and the raccoon and the humor. I loved how self-aware and funny we made Paradise. They need to bring it back to that and not try to grab another concept. Our concept worked; you just got to get the right characters down there.

**Before the latest controversy, what did you think of ABC's decision to cast Taylor Frankie Paul for *The Bachelorette*? **

I had mixed opinions. I totally get why they are leaning into someone who's real and raw and messy. I could see the appeal. She has a huge following. *Mormon Wives* has been very successful and it's almost like in the Marvel world where they're trying to blend all the universes. From a business perspective, it was a smart, interesting, unique, new take for the show.

But on the other end, I didn't know about her arrest and the domestic violence allegations, and that's concerning. When I was at the show, that was an automatic out. I have empathy and compassion for her. I know there's two sides to the story. But when you have someone on reality TV who's, obviously, struggling with mental health issues, it gets messy and it gets concerning because their mental health should be first and foremost.

Taylor Frankie Paul on "Mormon Wives" before "The Bachelorette" pause.

Fred Hayes/Disney

I do think, if I were to guess, *The Bachelorette* was actually a really beautiful experience for her. ... It's crazy to think about, but it probably was really healing. She probably got a taste of men that would actually be a good, healthy relationship for her. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like she's broken out of the toxic cycle.

**On a producer level, there's been some reports that suggest Bachelor producers weren't aware of Taylor's behavior on season 4 of *Mormon Wives*, including her renewed relationship with Dakota. Given the ABC/Disney/Hulu synergy, could that possibly be true?**

It's two different productions going on. I think on the executive level, they had to have known because they're overseeing both shows. But I think the people on the ground with her may not have known unless she told them. You'd be surprised. It's not great because clearly the stories are intertwining.

**Do you think it will ever air?**

I think they're hoping to salvage it. Based on the statement, which said "for now," and based on her statement ... My guess is they're waiting to see what happens with these other [allegations] and how bad that is. Hopefully they'll want her to share her side of the story, get empathy, and air it. If they can do that, they'll do that.

It's a complicated thing because it's all very serious. At the end of the day, though, it's money and they have a season that they shot and they want to air. And if they can find a way, they will. That's my prediction.

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Reality”