The Bachelor’s Grant Ellis Addresses Women Being ‘Blindsided’ by Eliminations (Exclusive)

Grant Ellis says he’s just a nice guy!

The Bachelor star, 31, spoke with PEOPLE after the Women Tell All special that aired on Monday, March 10, where he addressed criticism from the women this season. After several contestants claimed to be “blindsided” by their eliminations, but Ellis says it was simply part of the process.

“I think that it would be a disservice if I were to be with somebody and not give it my all,” he shares. “That’s just how I am. If we’re dating, I’m going to reassure you, and I’m going to hold your hand. And if we’re dating and that’s where we’re at, then we are going to share a kiss or something like that. So I understand why people feel that way, but at the same time, I’m looking for my wife.”

During the Tell All, Dina and Serafeina said they didn’t expect to be sent home after having what they felt were good dates with Ellis. Carolina even told the reality star that his words and actions didn’t match up. 

“I went in there with all of my heart,” he explains, adding: “I feel bad that people feel blindsided — it’s not what I want. But I hope that we all learn from it, because I learned from the ladies of what I want. I hope that they learn that they want somebody affectionate and that’s loving. I hope that they got that from me.”

Ellis notes that he didn’t know how he would act when he became the season 29 lead, but he would consider himself to be “an empath.”

“I realized in real time and the weight of it, and I strive to be the best at everything I do,” he says. “So I tried to be the best that I could, but nobody’s perfect, everybody’s flawed. And I made really good decisions, I made some bad decisions, but I led with my heart, and I think that leaving here, I want people to know that that’s what I did.”

“Honestly, the journey was a lot harder than what I thought it was going to be,” he later admits. “Everybody’s different, but I’m somebody who’s emotional, and like I said, I think that’s a strength for me. But in this situation where you’re fully invested into different people, it becomes a lot. So yeah, from here on out, I’m a one-woman man.”

As the finale approaches, Ellis says it has been hard to keep the ending a secret, especially as he watches viewers react to everything as it airs months later.

“You’re the lead of the show, and you undergo a lot of different opinions and criticism on how people feel you should have handled things,” he shares. “And then also, I’m a lead that’s a lead of color, so there is a lot of weight that comes with it, but I’m built for it. I think that it’s unique, and I think that I’m here for a reason.

He continues: “I think that it’s going to inspire people with how everything ended.”

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The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.