However, a source with knowledge told E! News, “This is two men ganging up to take down a woman who is reclaiming her own life. Everything Nick and Peter are reacting to is secondhand: a clip, a press release, an assumption about what’s in the book. Neither of them actually knows what the book says, because neither of them has read it.”

“Peter is one part of a much larger story,” the source continued, “a deeply personal memoir about a woman taking back control of her life while navigating outside influences on her career, romance, and desires.”

Rumors about Weber’s relationship with a producer began not long after his season began airing in early 2020, leading ABC’s then-senior vice president of alternative series, specials and late-night programming Rob Mills to address the speculation. 

“Well, I hate to get in the way of a good rumor, so I’m not going to confirm or deny about whether he ends up with a producer!” he told Entertainment Tonight in 2020. “I don’t know how we’d ever top that though! But, it is crazy.”

As for LaPlaca, she denied the rumors at the time, confirming they had spent New Year’s Eve together, but noted it was as part of the Bachelor promotional tour.