Wells Adams has spent close to a decade as the most consistently visible non-lead figure in the entire Bachelor franchise, a reputation that made him a logical include for Season 3 of The Traitors, even though his actual run in the game barely lasted an episode. By 2026 he’d turned that Traitors experience into new podcast work of its own.
Adams was born May 16, 1984, in Monterey, California, and built a career in radio for years before Bachelor Nation ever knew his name. His path into that world started as a contestant, not the job he’d eventually become known for.
From Monterey to Nashville Radio
Adams graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2007 with a degree in broadcast journalism, minoring in English and public relations. He moved to Nashville in 2013 and got his start in media as a radio host, DJ, and producer on the morning show at WRLT, an adult album alternative station, earning Best DJ honors from both the Nashville Scene and The Tennessean in 2014. He later moved to iHeartRadio, producing and programming shows for stations including ALT 98.3 and 105.9 The Rock, and co-created the podcast Your Favorite Thing with Wells & Brandi alongside actress and DJ Brandi Cyrus, a show that’s since passed 10 million downloads.
Paradise’s Longtime Bartender
Adams first appeared as a contestant on Season 12 of The Bachelorette, eliminated in week six, and later competed on Season 3 of Bachelor in Paradise. He went on to become the franchise’s recurring hotel bartender starting with Bachelor in Paradise’s fourth season, replacing Jorge Moreno in the role, a job he has continued to hold in subsequent seasons and one that’s made him one of the most recognizable non-contestants in the entire Bachelor universe.
The First Boot of Season 3
Adams was the first contestant eliminated from Season 3 of The Traitors, banished during the premiere episode that aired January 14, 2025, and finished 22nd out of 23 players. That built-in familiarity and easy on-camera charm made him a logical include for a cast this size, even though his run barely got started.
Sarah Hyland’s Reaction
The most-covered part of his season wasn’t the game itself but the reaction from his wife, actress Sarah Hyland, whom he’s been with since 2017 and married on August 20, 2022, at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez, California, with several of her Modern Family co-stars in attendance. In post-elimination interviews, Adams said Hyland “wasn’t super proud” of how quickly he was voted out, joking that both of them had genuinely expected him to go far, if not win outright. That bit of self-deprecating honesty, a Bachelor Nation guy admitting his own wife was let down by his game, became its own small viral moment in coverage of the episode.
New Podcasts and Life Now
Adams has kept expanding his media work since the season aired. He’s an executive producer on The Vanity Index, a new golf podcast tied to Full Swing Season 3 alongside Chad Mumm, and he’s told Decider he’s launching a separate podcast built entirely around The Traitors, one he says will feature some well-known former cast members. Between the bartending job, two new podcasts, and a marriage that’s given his self-deprecating humor a built-in audience, Adams has continued turning one of the season’s earliest exits into more airtime rather than less. More on how the rest of Season 3 played out is covered in OpenThreadNews’ Traitors Season 3 cast guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wells Adams married to Sarah Hyland?
Yes. The couple, together since 2017, married on August 20, 2022, at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez, California.
How far did Wells Adams get on The Traitors?
Not far. He was the first contestant banished in Season 3, eliminated in the premiere episode that aired January 14, 2025, finishing 22nd out of 23 players.
What is Wells Adams known for besides The Bachelor franchise?
He worked in Nashville and iHeartRadio radio for years before television, co-hosts the podcast Your Favorite Thing with Brandi Cyrus, and has since added an executive producer role on the golf podcast The Vanity Index.
