‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Star Teases New Romance in Christmas Day Soft Launch

A former contestant from “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise” just launched a new romance. Michael Allio was a contestant on Katie Thurston’s season of “The Bachelorette,” and later seemed to find love with Danielle Maltby on “Bachelor in Paradise.”

Allio left Thurston’s season to get home to his son, and Allio split with Maltby several months after she moved to Ohio to be near him.

His new relationship tease has Bachelor Nation talking as many try to determine whether or not he’s dating someone else from the franchise.

Michael Allio Kept the Woman’s Identity Under Wraps

On December 25, Allio shared the relationship tease in an Instagram post. In the caption he wrote, “We got everything we wanted this year. Hope you did too.”

Allio added, “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays friends. Here’s to the best year yet.”

The video Allio included in his post showed him with his son and a mysterious woman. They were adding ornaments to a lit Christmas tree, and Allio’s young son James seemed quite comfortable with the woman who joined them.

The clip was edited to show only the woman from behind. She had long, wavy hair and wore a brown sweater. Unfortunately, that was all fans could see of her.

Allio did not specifically state she was his current girlfriend, but the secrecy and caption clearly implied that was the case.

Bachelor Nation Is Curious About the Woman’s Identity

This would be the first relationship Allio has referenced since his split with Maltby.

As People shared, the two met in 2022 while filming season 8 of “Bachelor in Paradise.” They did not get engaged, but they did date for about a year after filming.

During the September 18, 2023 episode of Jason Tartick’s “Trading Secrets” podcast, Allio confirmed that he and Maltby had gone their separate ways.

Allio was previously married to his wife Laura, who died of cancer in 2019, noted Us Weekly.

The Instagram post received lots of comments as Allio’s followers posted notes of holiday cheer.

“Loooooove seeing you and your son happy,” wrote one person.

Someone else wrote, “All I need to know is that Michael and James got everything they wanted. That is such a huge blessing and so happy for them both!”

At least a few Bachelor Nation fans wondered if the lady in the video might be “Bachelor in Paradise” alum Sam Jeffries. She is from Ohio, and the two have popped up on social media together in the past.

One Instagram user commented, “Anyone else think @samcjeffries when you saw the reddish brownish hair or just me?”

A couple of other commenters thought or hoped it was Maltby in the video.

However, Maltby moved to Chicago, Illinois a few months after the split. She has posted to her Instagram page regularly and currently wears her blond hair in a short bob.

A couple of Allio’s followers picked up on her name being used at the beginning of the video, and it seemed to be a “J” name.

One person commented that an esthetician from California whose name begins with a “J” posted a teaser showing Allio and his son with her at a pool on her Instagram Stories recently, as well.