Clayton Echard, a former lead of The Bachelor, seems to have lived many lifetimes since his reality TV debut, including an intense paternity suit. The spotlight first met Clayton on The Bachelorette season 18; he was cast as the lead for The Bachelor shortly after, where he didn’t receive many reviews. Since then, Clayton has tried to revamp his reputation and has successfully done so in many ways. An example of how he’s turned things around is his investment in his career as a real estate agent. Clayton also serves as a mental health advocate and speaker, specializing in topics for children and teens.
Most recently, much of Clayton’s time has been consumed by a paternity lawsuit brought to light by a woman during the summer of 2023. The details have been minimal thus far, but the information that was immediately available is that this woman claims to be pregnant with twins, and Clayton is the father. The news of the scandal dropping in August 2023 means the pregnancy is nearing completion. Therefore, there’s a lot to catch up on and, hopefully, even more to be uncovered.
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Clayton’s Side Of The Story Explained
On an episode of The Viall Files podcast with Nick Viall, Clayton told his entire side of the story from the beginning. It started with the woman, who he said would not be named, initially contacting him regarding a real estate deal. The two were intimate on one occasion, but Clayton maintains they did not have sexual intercourse. Shortly after, she sent him a photo of a positive pregnancy test, insisting he was the father. After admitting he was unwilling to co-parent, The Bachelor alum claims the woman said she would proceed with an abortion, but only if he agreed to “date exclusively for two weeks.”
Clayton alleges that this person then sent a fake ultrasound video as proof of the pregnancy, causing him to become more skeptical. At this point, he shared that he had sent three paternity tests in for review to receive no definitive answer; two came back as “little to no fetal DNA,” and another was lost in transit. Clayton also told the Viall Files hosts he learned of court cases from 2018 and 2021 where other men were accused by this same woman, one of which was “eerily similar,” a paternity case claiming he was the father of her twins.
Where The Paternity Suit Stands Now
Clayton has been through highs and lows with the unnamed woman as they’ve been tossing court pleadings back and forth. If the woman is telling the truth, she would be approximately eight months pregnant. Clayton noted in the podcast episode that twins often do not make it to full term and that if she is indeed pregnant, she will likely give birth soon. The former reality star shared that he is mentally “in the best place he’s ever been” as he waits for this to settle. He said that most recently, he is working to ensure this woman does not get away with this, not just for him but so she can’t do this to anyone else.
Why Clayton Received So Much Backlash For His Response To The Allegations
When Clayton received his initial paternity test results, he jumped to Instagram to excitedly share the news. As E! shared at the time, Clayton posted a video saying, “Let’s go, baby!” and “Thankfully, five months of torture can finally be put to rest.” His followers rushed to remind him that should these children be born and they’re his, it would be quite damaging for them to potentially see their father celebrating his disconnection from them.
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Regardless of the outcome, which will be known soon, this is a tragic story. One where if this person did falsely accuse Clayton, it sends women another step backward. If she is truly pregnant with Clayton’s twins, he will have a hard time coming back from the intense feelings and statements he’s made surrounding it. Also, Clayton shared that not only has he mentally struggled for months due to the paternity scandal, but he has also lost out on opportunities, and has had to spend a considerable amount of money to defend himself. If Clayton succeeds in preventing the woman from walking away without facing the truth, it will come in February 2024.
Sources: The Viall Files, Clayton Echard/Instagram, Nick Viall/Instagram, E!
The Bachelor
The Bachelor is a reality dating series that premiered in 2002. It follows one man’s search for his potential fiancé among several different women. As they travel the world and have exciting one-on-one and group dates, romance and drama develop. The Bachelor has led to many popular spin-offs, including The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise.
