'The Bachelorette': Xavier Bonner claims his admission to having cheated in the past was 'miscommunication' as Charity Lawson fumes
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA: Charity Lawson will reunite with all of her past "boyfriends" on 'The Bachelorette's Men Tell All episode on August 14, and there's one man everyone wants to see in the hot seat: Xavier. Xavier tries to right the wrongs, but he keeps digging a hole just deeper and deeper.
Xavier started the season as a bit of a sleeper, but Charity continued giving him roses until he was one of the final four guys standing. Charity kept saying Xavier reminded her of an ex, and during dream suites, she discovered why.
During their date, Xavier admitted to being unfaithful to an ex-girlfriend five times in one week. Charity appeared to be prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt until he began expounding on how he wouldn't cheat in marriage, but couldn't be sure he'd be true in the absence of that legal tie.
Xavier tries to make amends
Charity eliminated the 27-year-old biomedical scientist/knitting enthusiast after their catastrophic pre-Fantasy Suite meal last week, during which Xavier disclosed that he cheated on his last longtime partner "multiple times" over the course of five days.
And EW has the first glimpse of his reunion with Charity at the Men Tell All event. Prepare to be enraged by the very first thing he says.
"So, um, I miscommunicated how I was feeling," explains Xavier. "In my heart, there was no doubt that I wanted to be with you."
Charity explains why the entire talk with Xavier in Fiji was so irritating before raising this vital question. "You were like, 'I don't want to cheat on you,'" she recalls. "Instead of saying 'I don't want to cheat,' [say] 'I won't'!"
The Bachelorette then makes this spot-on comment about Xavier: "You just kept almost essentially digging yourself deeper."
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Xavier Bonner speaks out after an embarrassing 'The Bachelorette' exit
Xavier spoke up following what will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most cruel departures on 'The Bachelorette' ever. "It’s taken me a while to write this but here goes," Xavier said in a lengthy Instagram post on Friday, August 11.
"For the first time in my life, I let go of the facts and figures to instead focus on letting my feelings lead the way. The process wasn’t easy but it’s been immensely eye-opening."
He went on to thank Charity, who booted him from the show on Monday, August 7, after he aired his controversial views on faithfulness in their romance.
"Thank you for always creating space for me to open up and step outside of my comfort zone as well as for being willing to have tough, raw conversations that pushed me to think more deeply," he wrote. "You deserve everything and more and I wish you the best in finding your forever person."
Xavier said that it's "never easy to share the worst parts of your past with someone you love," but he called the experience "necessary" for his personal progress.
"This journey was all about vulnerability," he said, "and although I may not have always been as clear or eloquent in expressing myself as I would’ve liked to be, I’m forever grateful for this experience. I know there’s lots more learning, more healing, and more work to do and I’m looking forward to becoming the best version of myself."
Charity said after the program aired that she was "extremely proud" of herself for handling the talk, even if she was disappointed to learn that Xavier wasn't The One for her.
"It was very important that in that moment I maintained and displayed emotional regulation and effective communication," she told Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday, August 8. "I am disappointed in the conversation, but am glad he didn’t keep it from me until any later."
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Who is Charity Lawson?
Charity is "searching for a life partner who loves dogs, thrifting, and a good tailgate; but, above all else, is honest, empathetic, and values her for who she is," according to ABC's bio.
Charity, like her parents, who have been together for more than 47 years, "has been instilled with the confidence of knowing what she deserves and is eager to find a lasting love matching their example."
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Who is Xavier Bonner?
Xavier, 27, is from northern Ohio and now resides in North Carolina. Xavier is a student at the campus of the North Carolina School of Medicine, according to a campus release.
He is a doctoral student in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the university. Xavier's bio refers to him as "one tall glass of water," since he is 6 feet 6 inches tall.
'The Bachelorette' airs on ABC Mondays at 8 pm ET.