Bachelor finalist Lauren Burnham, who is now one half of one of the most controversial couples in America, is not quite the wallflower her reality show appearance would suggest.
The petite blonde proved a divisive Bachelor contender not just for the shocking finale which saw her dumped and then re-united with Arie Luyendyk at the expense of fellow candidate Becca Kufrin.
Her shy, soft-spoken appearances, awkward silences, and simplistic comments like ‘there’s a plane behind you’, prompted much mockery online.
But the 25-year-old tech saleswoman is not as retiring as her TV persona may suggest.
Not such a wallflower: Lauren Burnham has worked as a model for years while studying
Dailymail.com can reveal that she posed in several risque modelling shoots under the name Libby between 2011 and 2016. The name is presumably taken from her middle name Elizabeth. Curiously the website states her age as 26, even though she is listed as 25 on the Bachelor.
In two linked profiles that appear on the site ‘Model Mayhem’, one dated 2015 and another 2016, Libby outlines her photo preferences of ‘swimwear, fitness, fashion and beauty/glamour shoots’ but says she’s ‘open to other ideas’. However, she firmly states: ‘I am not interested in nudes’.
‘I started dabbling in modeling a few years ago when I lived in Seattle and took a bit of a break after moving to Virginia to focus on school and getting my life here situated, but I would love to start getting back into it now that I am settled. I am not on MM because I think this is going to get me a fabulous career in modeling (I wish), but I just really enjoy it and would love to network with some of you in the industry,’ she writes.
Most of the images on her profiles show her in bikinis, with one particularly risque photo of her in a white and gold bikini and plaid thigh high socks – bizarrely posing up a tree.
Model behavior: Lauren worked as a part time model from 2011 to 2016
Popular: Lauren Burnham shares lots of photos online with her family and friends
Devoted sister: The reality show star who has made no secret of her wish to settle down and have children often poses alongside her younger brother
And the photos aren’t the only racy aspect of her past. Luyendyk’s bride-to-be has been engaged twice before and even had a wedding scheduled to her last fiance, professional NHL player Christopher Crane, for last July.
He currently plays for Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL and, according to her modelling profile, Burnham too lived in Orlando for a short time. She now lives in Dallas, Texas.
It is unclear what happened between the couple. A registry at Crate and Barrel still exists for the pair and says the wedding was due to go ahead on July 8 – two months before filming on the Bachelor series started on September 20. Burnham would have auditioned for the show sometime before then.
Crane still has a photo of Burnham on his Instagram account and hasn’t spoken out about his ex’s appearance on the show despite being active on social media.
They got engaged in 2016 and according to one Reddit user, who claims he knew the couple, Crane gifted Burnham her pet Labradoodle Dallas – known as Lil D – who she has mentioned repeatedly on the show and will now be taking to live with Luyendyk in Arizona.
Old flame: Lauren Burnham has been engaged twice before. She was due to marry
Gift? A reddit user who claims to know Burnham says she was gifted her beloved Labradoodle Dallas by her former fiance NHL player Christopher Crane
Lil D: The reality star is devoted to her pet dog and shares multiple photos of the pup on Instagram
ABC executive Robert Mills revealed that the Virginia Beach resident was also engaged once before Crane, although no details have been revealed about that relationship.
In other photos on social media, Burnham is shown posing with a high school sweetheart and her younger sister.
The family have moved many times – presumably due to her father’s work as a Navy Commander.
The patriarch won fans during the series for his suspicion of Luyendyk when he came to meet the family. He now works as CEO of CAVU International – a consulting firm, while her mother Pamela works as a private nurse consultant.
It was also quietly revealed over the two day finale that Burnham had met Luyendyk before the reality TV show commenced.
Navy family: Lauren’s family, pictured, appeared during the show and were in the studio audience for Tuesday night’s engagement
Throwback: Lauren looks very different in this 2009 photo shared on Facebook. It is unclear if her date in this photo is her first fiance but she has been engaged twice
Burnham’s senior year yearbook photo (pictured) included a cheeky quote from playwright Oscar Wilde. For many fans the words foreshadowed what took place on the reality series
According to insiders, Burnham revealed the connection on the first episode of the series and even showed off a photo with Luyendyk in footage that never aired.
Apparently, the reality winner met him at a race track in Dallas for ’10 minutes’.
She now plans to move to Luyendyk’s hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona, presumably leaving her career as a tech saleswoman for Vonage communications.
The psychology major graduated from Old Dominion University in 2015. In 2010 she attended Central Washington University as a pre-med student but allegedly dropped out after a year.
A yearbook photo that showed her attending Central Kitsap High School in Washington state was shared on Reddit.
It showed her senior quote as ‘I can resist anything but temptation’ by Oscar Wilde.
For many fans the words foreshadowed what took place on the reality series.
Burnham couldn’t help but take Luyendyk back despite the fact that he ditched her for love rival Becca Kufrin.
After taking him back, the couple got engaged on live TV on Tuesday night.
Psychology grad: Lauren Burnham graduated from Old Dominion University in 2015. Pictured here with her sister Heather
Close family: Lauren has a close bond with her family and spoke about them during her reality show experience
Today she joined her fiance on a tour of ABC’s shows defending their engagement and the bombshell two-day television extravaganza that has made them household names.
Appearing in a short floral dress on Kelly and Ryan, gripping her new fiance’s hand, a loved-up Burnham insisted she had the happy ending she wanted.
‘We’ve spent the last few months talking for hours, spending every week together. For me, if he had chosen me from the beginning, I would always wonder if he was truly over Becca, she said. ‘Now at least I know.’
Arie added: ‘I feel like this has made our relationship a lot stronger.’
Earlier in the morning the pair appeared on GMA where Burnham showed off a different scarlet-colored lace dress and bare legs, despite New York’s icy conditions.
‘We’re together and that’s what matters the most to us,’ Burnham told Michael Strahan on GMA.
Happy ever after? Burnham and her fiance Arie Luyenduk toured the ABC shows on Wednesday morning