“It was scary ‘cause it was supposed to be a fun date. We weren’t hoping that it was going to end in, like, [an] ambulance and broken vertebrae. And it was scary for a number of reasons,” the 37-year-old reality TV personality told Us, noting that he “didn’t know” about the death of Michael’s wife, Laura, or about his 4-year-old son, James, when they filmed the group date. “So now, knowing that it’s even more serious because he’s got a lot more to lose by getting hurt than the other guys.”

Wells created the game dubbed Bachelorette Bash Ball Battle on Monday’s episode, hoping to help Katie Thurston’s suitors lighten up after a dramatic start to season 17.

“In real time, I was nervous because one, I didn’t want anyone to get hurt and two, the nuance that people might not understand is that once you get hurt and you have to go to a hospital, that means you leave the bubble [and] that means you can’t come back,” he explained about filming The Bachelorette in New Mexico. “That’s a bummer because, you know, obviously he’s catching feels for Katie and we wanted him to stay. And then add on, the extra terror of he’s got a little one at home. We want to make sure he’s OK.”

Wells added that there was “a lot of emotion flying around” on set after Justin Glaze’s “effed up” hit, which went down after Hunter Montgomery raised the stakes with his aggression.

“I invented this stupid game and that was a big rule — you don’t hit someone in the back,” Wells told Us. “I felt a little, you know, culpable. I felt bad.”

The Bachelorette season 12 contestant, however, noted that he knew Michael A. would score some points with Katie as long as he was able to stick around after his injury.

“I was on a Bachelorette date as a fireman where I almost died and I kinda milked that to get a little more time with JoJo [Fletcher],” Wells recalled to Us. “And so, if you’re thinking that I didn’t go over and be like, ‘Hey, milk this for all it’s worth, dude, trust me, it’s going to look good.’ And he did, he listened.”

While Michael A. continued to win over viewers and Katie on Monday’s episode, Hunter received the group date rose.

The Bachelorette airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. For a complete recap of Monday’s episode of The Bachelorette, watch “Here for the Right Reasons” above.

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Sarah Hearon