Is Nick Viall dating someone? The Bachelor alum opens up about his fake romance drama with Rachel Bilson

The Bachelor alum Nick Viall, who starred in the ABC show during season 21, got engaged to Natalie Joy in January 2023. The two have been dating since 2020 and made their relationship public after being together for six months.

However, not too long before getting with the model and surgical technologist, the television personality was rumored to be dating someone else.

Sometime in 2019, rumors liked OC actress Rachel Bilson to Nick Viall, and the two were thought to be dating. Bilson recently appeared on the Nick Viall podcast, where the two clarified that they were never dating, adding that it was just a publicity stunt.

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Rachel Bilson and Nick Viall of The Bachelor season 21 open up about faking their relationship

The rumor mill started churning in the fall of 2019, when netizens noticed the two exchanging flirtatious messages all over social media. However, during her recent appearance on the Nick Viall podcast, Rachel Bilson and the host announced that they were never a couple.

Rachel said that the two were messing around and trolling the internet, while The Bachelor alum added that they were “epically” single and wanted attention. Rachel further added that while they became really good friends, they never got to the point where they could actually date.

The two believed that they could do a spin-off podcast, titled Making Love with Nick and Rachel. Viall even admitted to having an Instagram saved for it, but said that the actress got “some gig and then bailed” on him.

Speaking about faking their relationship, Rachel said:

"It was literally to get attention for the podcast. It was like, “Ok, it’s a tease-up to what we’re doing.” Even though it didn’t come to fruition, that was the intention."

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Nick Viall got engaged to Natalie Joy in January 2023

The Bachelor alum found the recipient of his final rose three years ago and recently put a ring on her. Natalie Joy and Nick Viall started dating in July 2020 after Joy sent him a message on Instagram.

While the two didn’t officially go public with their relationship until January 2021, they dropped hints on their respective social media platforms in October 2020 when they coordinated their Halloween costumes.

In January 2021, a source confirmed to People magazine that The Bachelor alum and the surgical technologist and model had been dating since June 2020.

The source added:

"She’s great for him."

Soon after the confirmation, the two made their relationship Instagram official by posting an intimate and cozy video of themselves. The following month, The Bachelor alum opened up about his relationship during an episode on his own podcast and said that the relationship “is great.”

He added:

"I have these moments of gratitude and thankfulness. There’s moments where I’m like, ‘You’re really great and I’m really happy you’re a part of my life.'”

He continued:

"Between the two of us, I am easily the most dramatic. I’m the drama queen. She is the voice of reason, which is a breath of fresh air."

The two made their red carpet debut as a couple on May 17, 2021 during the MTV Movie & TV Awards: UNSCRIPTED, and a month later, the two also adopted a puppy named Jeff.

On February 14, 2022, in an episode of the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, the Bachelor alum said that his partner would love to hear about an engagement in a year, but added that it can be dangerous to set timelines since they lead to false expectations.

However, almost a year later, the two did get engaged on January 12, 2023.

Later the same month, The Bachelor alum told E! News that they’re “definitely anxious to get married.”

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It’s been six years since Nick Viall was on the show, which is currently airing season 27, featuring Zach Shallcross. Episodes of the same can be streamed on ABC.