Nick Viall's Past Loves: Why the New 'Bachelor' Missed the Final Rose Twice Before

Nick Viall, the new Bachelor, was the runner-up on Kaitlyn Bristowe and Andi Doorman's seasons of The Bachelorette

Photo: ABC

“ Nick Viall is joining the Bachelor franchise for a fourth time, now as the leading man. But why couldn’t he make it work before with not one, but two Bachelorettes?

The 35-year-old Wisconsin native was runner-up on both Kaitlyn Bristowe and Andi Dorfman‘s seasons, as well as a competitor on the current season of Bachelor in Paradise. Next January, he’ll begin handing out the roses to his own crop of hopefuls.

The Tuesday night casting reveal was shocking for many reasons – including the fact that it likely means Viall’s budding romance with Bachelor in Paradise‘s Jen Saviano doesn’t work out.

Why has Viall been so unlucky in love?

His relationship woes first started with Dorfman, who picked ex-fiancé Josh Murray over him during The Bachelorette‘s 10th season.

After a night in the fantasy suites, Dorfman let Viall go before he even had the chance to get down on one knee, explaining that, “Life with you would be me over-analyzing every single moment.”

She also said during the 2014 episode: “It’s clear to me that the things I see in you and the things I see in us is ultimately not what is best for us.”

Niall was “completely blindsided,” he told PEOPLE at the time, explaining that he felt like he’d “misread some [little things].”

“A lot of that stuff off camera … [like] when you tell someone you love them and they say ‘I wish I could say things back’ – you’re not supposed to assume things, but there’s not much room for interpretation,” he contended.

Things got even more awkward during the live taping of After the Final Rose, during which Viall revealed to viewers that he and Dorfman “made love” on their fantasy suite date.

Dorfman was angry at Viall for the revelation, calling the moment “below the belt.” She told Viall she wasn’t in love with him and that her relationship with Murray was “greater.”

Later, ahead of the release of her book It’s Not Okay this past May, Dorfman told PEOPLE that the aforementioned love making was cringeworthy. Her takeaway: “Try before you buy!”

Viall hadn’t given up on love, just yet, though, and returned to woo Bristowe’s heart halfway through the next season. Despite the other men’s protestations, Viall and Bristowe hit it off, even consummating the relationship weeks before the Fantasy Suite.

RELATED VIDEO: Kaitlyn Bristowe Was Cyberbullied After Having Sex with Nick Viall

Changing course from his earlier public declarations, Viall took to the Internet to defend Bristowe against the backlash from critics who she said slut-shamed her.

He wrote on Twitter at the time: “Sex is not shameful. Whether we admit it or not, sex is important part of many serious and meaningful relationships.”

Once again, Viall made it to the final two, but was ultimately jilted and sent home in tears.

Bristowe struggled to find reasoning in her breakup speech, saying, “The only single explanation … I’ve looked for everything and I want to find something that has gone wrong and the only explanation that I have is my heart is just with somebody else.”

Her mother’s obvious distaste for Viall’s previous antics may have played a part as well, but either way, the hopeless romantic was left alone, again.

Still, Viall teased his interest in becoming the Bachelor – a goal ultimately achieved.

He said of his new shot at love, “I can’t be more excited about the possibility of it actually all working out.”

Viall’s season of The Bachelor will premiere early next year on ABC.