The Bachelor star Zach Shallcross has revealed if he set any rules or guidelines for himself, such as whether to kiss a woman on Night 1, going into the filming of the reality show's 2023 season.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Going into Night 1, I didn't have any rules for myself," Zach told Us Weekly ahead of The Bachelor's Season 27 premiere on Monday, January 23 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.

"I think that would be, you know, stopping myself from just fully taking in and meeting all the women."

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' STAR ZACH SHALLCROSS' BACHELORETTES ANNOUNCED -- MEET ZACH'S WOMEN! (PHOTOS)

Zach, however, admitted he had high expectations for himself given his 30 bachelorettes had taken time out of their lives to date and get to know him.

"I guess one rule was I wanted to meet and speak with all the women I can [with] whatever time allowed and can make work," Zach explained. "That was most important to me."

In regards to the kissing, the 26-year-old technology salesman from California who currently resides in Austin, TX, shared, "Sometimes you just had that connection and it's like, 'Who am I to deny that if it feels right?'"

But Zach insisted that if a kiss felt "forced," he was "definitely not" into it.

"If it's natural and it's mutual, then hell, 'Why not?'" Zach said.

The Bachelor host Jesse Palmer shared how Zach truly wanted to find his "person" on The Bachelor during the January 4 episode of the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast co-hosted by Becca Kufrin and Michelle Young.

"[Zach] is really, really intentional," Jesse explained on the podcast.

"I think one of the things I was so impressed [by] watching Zach is that he really made a point to talk to everybody."

Jesse recalled of his stint on The Bachelor's fifth season in 2004, "I know when I was the Bachelor, on a group date or Rose Ceremony, I was like, 'No problem, I'll talk to everybody,' but then things happen and there's drama."

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

Jesse said women would try to "steal [him for a second]," explaining, "And then you realize, 'Oh my god, I've literally spoken to only half the people. No wonder everybody is upset.'"

Jesse suggested that Zach really went above and beyond in making sure that he made his bachelorettes feel important and special.

"Zach made a point of getting time with every single woman virtually every day," Jesse revealed.

"There may be one or two [he couldn't get to], but he was really intent on that. I think part of that was probably his experience on [Rachel Recchia]'s season. He had a lot of time taken away because of a lot of stuff that happened."

Not only was Zach "intentional," but Jesse said The Bachelor star was also "very emotional" and "expressive" throughout the season.

"It's because he has such a big heart and he genuinely cares about people's feelings and how his actions affect people," Jesse noted.

Jesse praised Zach for treating the women kindly, calmly and with understanding.

"I think Zach's actions helped allow everyone to feel comfortable and safe to say things and behave a certain way -- to cry if they wanted to cry, and not be judged by it," Jesse explained.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)  

Jesse added, "I think he did a great job of building a safe space for everybody in the room and in the mansion to sort of feel like they can be their most authentic self."

Zach's season began filming in late September, after Zach emotionally self-eliminated on The Bachelorette 19 following his overnight Fantasy Suite date with Rachel.

While Zach had pictured the flight instructor as "the future Mrs. Shallcross" and gushed to the cameras about how he was madly in love with her, Zach found her to be "inauthentic" in the Fantasy Suite and totally unlike herself.

Once Zach confronted Rachel about his concerns, he decided to leave the show at the Final 3 Rose Ceremony. He could tell that he wasn't going to be Rachel's "person" and essentially beat her to the punch.

Zach ultimately apologized to Rachel on The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose for questioning her character, but Rachel insisted no apology was necessary and he had every right to feel that way.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)

Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group!


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON GOOGLE NEWS