From Colton Underwood to Madi Prewett to Ashley Iconettireality TV contestants have opened up about choosing to remain chaste while looking for love.
Netflix’s The Age of Attractionwhich premiered in March 2026, followed a group of people who experimented with communication without knowing each other’s ages. This has led to many pairings with large age gaps as each couple tries to see if they have a future together.
Contestant Ashley Marie later took to social media to reveal that her love story did not have a final plan. She reflected on her decision to take part in the show – before revealing she was a 39-year-old virgin.
“Terrified to finally share what I did. Spilling tea about my time on Age of Attraction, the new dating show on Netflix,” Ashley captioned the post. “Going on a dating program is not something I thought would happen in the future, but life tends to take us down a path I didn’t expect.
Other contestants have been open about their lack of sexual knowledge including participants from The Bachelor, Are You My First and more.
Keep scrolling to see which TV stars have opened up over the years:
Ashley Marie (‘Age of Attraction’)
Ashley Marie took to TikTok in March 2026 to share “about one thing about me that has affected my dating life the most,” adding, “I’m going to start talking about it a lot but it’s something I haven’t talked about in a long time outside of my closest circle. That’s that I’m a virgin, [and] waiting for marriage. I know. Accept it. I will continue to share my story – both in my personal and dating life – because I feel like it’s a lonely time to be 39 and single and childless. I hope it helps people feel like you’re not alone in this phase.”
‘Are You My First’ Cast
Hulu released a show in August 2025 that was described as a new dating experience “where young women navigate love, lust and loss.”
“In this thrilling new dating experience, the biggest, hottest group of girls ever come together to seek intimacy, love – and maybe a first – in a tropical paradise built just for them,” reads the synopsis. For the first time, they’re free to explore their connections without judgment, allowing these lovely singles to embark on a steamy yet heartfelt journey full of romantic dates, revealing challenges, and new love interests desperate to find ‘the one.’ Who will find that special someone? And who is going to go home hot, worried and depressed?”
He owns Colton Underwood and Kaitlyn Bristowe they helped each contestant on their journey, which involved testing connections, pairing up and even eliminating each other in what the show called “maiden sacrifices.”
The Bachelorette‘s Mike Planeta – more about him below – participated in the show.
Colton Underwood (‘The Bachelor’)
When he was on The Bachelor, Colton Underwood was open about his virginity, sharing on the 2019 premiere, “It was a logical decision at first and then I started to get deep into my professional football career and my personal life took a back seat. It’s not like I’m going to lose it over a one-night stand … it’s very important to me.”
Mike Planeta (‘The Bachelorette’)
The contestant of Katie Thurston’s season revealed in the 2021 episode that she was a virgin, saying, “A lot of people when they see me, they think I’m a big player. But it’s not morally where I am. So I’m waiting for marriage, I’ve never had sex. The shame is, ‘No you can’t relate to that. But I don’t agree with that.”
He continued: “I want Katie to understand that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having sex. I personally want to share that in a marriage, that’s who I am. I mean, if I’m dating Katie, maybe that’s something we can, you know, take that path together.”
Madi Prewett (‘The Bachelor’)
Madi Prewett said on the 2020 episode of The Bachelor that she was saving herself for marriage while vying for Peter Weber’s love.
Ashley Iaconetti (‘The Bachelor’)
Ashley Iconetti
Getty ImagesAshley Iaconetti appeared on season 19 of The Bachelor where she revealed to Chris Soules that she had never had a boyfriend and was a virgin.
“I was afraid to be asked how I came to be a virgin in my mid-20s because thinking was hard to say,” she wrote in her Good Morning America book in 2019.
Becca Tilley (‘The Bachelor’)
After Ashley Iaconetti felt sorry for being a virgin, Becca Tilley revealed that she never slept before the show.
“I hadn’t told anyone because I didn’t want it to be like the focus and I just casually said, ‘Oh, I’m a virgin too. And I just completely forgot there were cameras and microphones on me,'” Tilley explained to Us Weekly in 2022 during her first season on Bachelor Nation. “I don’t regret the way I think there are many people who were able to support me in that decision, until this day I feel that if you make that decision for yourself, it is something you should be proud of and stand firm on it.”
