Krystal Nielson may have been eliminated from season 22 of The Bachelor, but that doesn't mean she's permanently gone from our TV screens. In a video interview with the producers of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Krystal hinted that Bachelor in Paradise might be on her radar for the future.
The producers didn't shy away from asking Krystal some pretty personal questions. And while many of her answers were pretty diplomatic — Krystal said she was "pleasantly surprised" when they asked if she actually liked Arie — she didn't explicitly deny interest in possibilities like Paradise.
When the hosts ask if she'd "go to Paradise," Krystal gives a wide grin and a head tilt, without actually saying anything. Suspecting that Krystal was staying silent to avoid breaking any legal contracts — in case she was already approached about Paradise — they asked Krystal to "blink twice if you like the beach." (Of course, Krystal blinked multiple times.)
When the Ellen producers asked Krystal which Bachelor Nation members she hoped might be on Paradise, if she were to go on the show, Krystal had a pretty specific response.
"It would have to be someone who's definitely worked for themselves, entrepreneurial. Definitely health and fitness. And has to be a dog person," Krystal explained. The hosts were quick to point out that all of those descriptors apply to Bachelorette contestant Peter Kraus.
That wasn't the first time Peter came up in the video, either. Krystal admitted that she'd originally auditioned for The Bachelor hoping that Peter would be the lead, which is when she said she was "pleasantly surprised" by Arie. The video also makes Krystal the second person from the current Bachelor season to admit she wanted Peter to be the Bachelor. Bekah M. told Jimmy Kimmel she wanted Peter to be the lead, too.
It's not much of a surprise that both ladies wanted to appear on a Peter-led season, since he was such a fan favorite during the most recent Bachelorette season. But could Krystal and Peter hit it off, if they both ended up on Paradise? They'd have a lot to bond over, considering the fact that they both work in fitness. And if the two of them did start spending time together, Krystal and Peter would definitely be a pairing that would get people talking.
During the Ellen staff's interview with Krystal, she also cleared up several misconceptions about the season and her relationships with the other women. It sounds like giving her the "villain" title might not be totally deserved — Krystal said that she's still in touch with some of the other ladies from the show. In fact, Krystal and Bekah M. apparently FaceTimed recently, and Krystal has talked to Kendall on the phone, too.
Krystal also shared that she felt some of her statements were edited to change how she appeared on screen.
"I feel like throughout the whole season and while I was there, and even on the show, I just felt really misunderstood, even while filming in the house," Krystal told the Ellen producers. "So that was really hard, especially living that, and then seeing it played back. Especially seeing it played back, I'm like, I remember things a little differently."
Krystal may have been eliminated from The Bachelor, but if this interview is any indication, she's not going away anytime soon. Only time will tell if we have a Krystal-Peter connection to look forward to in Paradise — but as Krystal pointed out, they do have a lot in common. But even if Peter doesn't make it to Paradise, Krystal will have no trouble making connections with the other potential contestants.
