Ed is gone and will perhaps return later this season on The Bachelorette. But for now, he’s out of the picture, leaving viewers skeptic about his reason for leaving the reality dating show. Read this recap if you missed Monday night’s episode but, to simply put it, Ed chose his career over love and left The Bachelorette after he was given an ultimatum by his employer to return to work or he’d be fired.

Unlike most eliminated contestants, Ed wasn’t available for the typical interviews afterward. An ABC spokeswoman, however, has released a statement via e-mail, “He’s busy with work. He has a lot going on. He’s just not available.” Fortunately, Ed’s mother, Judith Elliott has opted to speak on his behalf.

“He had just gotten this job,” Judith Elliott said. “He wanted to keep it. I guess maybe he didn’t expect to go as far [on the show] as he did.

The job Elliott is referring to is a position at Microsoft, a compnay which confirmed that Ed was an employee but had no comment on him or his work ethic.

“He could have chosen her and then not been the one in the end anyway,” she said. “There are still seven or eight guys left. And besides, how could she know if she really wanted him if he didn’t have a job?”

Before Ed’s reputation somehow tarnished, he was considered a frontrunner on The Bachelorette, earning his roses as he and Jillian shared a helicopter ride, had dinner on a rooftop, rappelled down a skyscraper, and even indulged in the Canadian art of curling.

“He started being ready to settle down last year,” said his mother, who has been fielding phone calls from friends who want to set up their daughters.

“I’m proud of the way he handled it, and I’m proud of his work,” she added. “He took a chance going on there. You’ve got to go for it. You don’t want to regret anything, whatever the outcome. And you learn from the experience.”

-Kris De Leon, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Sun Times
(Image courtesy of ABC)

Kris De Leon

Staff Writer, BuddyTV