Who is Jessica Clarke? 'The Bachelor' star Ben Higgins gets engaged to his 'smoking hot' girlfriend
It's an exciting day for Bachelor Nation as their sweetheart Ben Higgins is officially off the market. But who is his 'smoking hot' now-fiancee he can't stop gushing about?
Announcing that his bachelor days are soon to be over, the 31-year-old Higgins' girlfriend Clarke revealed to her Instagram followers that she said yes to the Season 20 bachelor star. “I don’t remember everything you said, but I know that I said yes. I woke up in a dream today and I get to live in this dream every day from now on (eeeep),” Clarke captioned her Instagram post accompanying photos of Higgins proposing to her.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Higgins shared how he proposed to Clarke in Franklin, Tennessee. "I was super nervous. She’s my best friend, my partner and I love her. I was nervous to kind of do this whole thing in front of her. I wasn’t anxious, it’s just a big moment!” he shared with the outlet. Reportedly, Higgins had decided to propose in New York’s Central Park but the coronavirus pandemic changed his plan and he decided to take matters to Tennessee and proposed to Clarke in front of both of their families and friends.
People reports that Higgins had first opened up about being in a relationship back in January 14, 2019, on an episode of 'The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast'. Without naming Clarke, at the time he had said: "I was just telling someone the other day, I’ve started dating again. This is big news, right? I am dating.” Again when fellow Bachelor star Colton Underwood asked him if he was on a dating app, Higgins clarified: "I’m actually dating one person that we’ll talk about in a couple of weeks on the podcast,” he said. “I’m excited about it.”
Soon Higgins catered to his fans' curiosity by making himself and Clarke Insta-official in February 2019. The couple reportedly met online, as Higgins quipped in the caption for a photo of himself and Clarke, taken in Honduras. “I’ve been selfishly keeping this girl to myself for too long! Hey friends meet @jessclarke_! I successfully slid into her Dm’s a few months ago. I took a risk and I am glad I did,” Higgins “She is someone special, and I look forward to where life is going to take us,” the Generous Coffee co-founder continued. “Stay tuned for the journey. In addition, this picture was taken this week in Honduras. I got to spend some time with an incredible group of people from all over the USA on a @generous_coffee_ adventure. Life is good!”
At the time, it was reported that Clarke was "a 24-year-old University of Mississippi graduate currently residing in Nashville." Within a few days, Clarke also took to her own Instagram to reveal her "secret" new beau. “My secret boyfriend, Ben!” she captioned the Instagram post with two photos of the couple. “He has one of the biggest hearts and kindest spirits, I got to share Honduras with him this past week and I’m excited for many more adventures!”
The couple then went on to have a long-distance relationship, taking one day at a time. In June 2019, Higgins has told Us Weekly how he had the "wedding bug" and wanted to take "next steps" by the coming august August. “We’re gonna talk about, ‘Hey, what’s the next move even?’ Or ‘Hey, how do we make this thing a little more close to each other? How do we continue to move this forward in the right direction?'" he had shared with the outlet.
Fans being fans, kind towards the couple either, following Higgins' Instagram reveal. In one of the boomerangs, he had posted of himself and Clarke, an Instagram user commented: "Legit looks like she’s in high school lol." And Higgins, being the loyal defender of his lady love that he is, slammed back writing: "I think she looks like a beautifully spry, youthfully joy-filled, and optimistically wise 24 year old….but that’s just me. And I think she's smoking hot."
It doesn't come as a surprise as the lovebirds have never shied away from gushing about each other in public. Higgins has shared in a November 2019 interview with 'Duck Dynasty' alum Sadie Robertson that Clarke was a person with “an ability and a desire to empathize in all situations, kindness and consideration really wanting me to be my best.”
And likewise, for his birthday, Clarke's Instagram tribute was a throwback photo of Higgins as a child, captioned: "Happy birthday to my favorite Bean. Being with you this past week and watching your leadership, patience, goodness, and wisdom makes me want to be better. You’re also a lot of fun and super cute. It’s such a privilege to get to celebrate you today!!!”