Jesse Palmer Reveals Near-Death Experience on 'The Bachelorette' Set

The host of the long-running reality TV series had a terrifying incident while filming in Fiji.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 4:25pm

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In an interview ahead of the season 22 premiere of The Bachelorette, host Jesse Palmer revealed that he had a near-death experience while filming season 20 of the show in Fiji. Palmer said he went to a secluded beach after a date between Charity Lawson and Dotun Olubeko, but a sudden storm and rising tide left him stranded in the middle of the ocean. Luckily, a boat arrived just in time to rescue him.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the potential dangers that reality TV show hosts and crews can face while filming on location, especially in remote or unpredictable environments. It also provides insight into the behind-the-scenes challenges of producing a show like The Bachelorette.

The details

Palmer said he went to the beach after filming a date between Charity Lawson and Dotun Olubeko, with whom she got engaged at the end of the season. A sudden storm blew in, and the tide started to rise, nearly submerging the entire beach. Palmer found himself stranded in the middle of the ocean, thinking he would have to tread water and hope a boat came to rescue him. Fortunately, a boat arrived just in time to pull him to safety.

  • During the filming of season 20 of The Bachelorette starring Charity Lawson.

The players

Jesse Palmer

The host of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and The Golden Bachelorette.

Charity Lawson

The Bachelorette star of season 20, who got engaged to Dotun Olubeko at the end of the season.

Dotun Olubeko

The Bachelorette contestant who got engaged to Charity Lawson at the end of season 20.

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What they’re saying

“I almost died in Fiji.”

— Jesse Palmer

“I'm just out in the middle of the ocean, and there's nothing there. And I thought to myself, I'm just going to have to tread water and hope a boat comes by and picks me up. At the very last second, a boat came out to check on me. But I did have some bad thoughts for a moment. Like, this is so crazy and ironic if this is how it ends.”

— Jesse Palmer

What’s next

Charity Lawson and Dotun Olubeko are planning to get married later this year.

The takeaway

This incident serves as a reminder of the potential risks and challenges that reality TV show hosts and crews can face while filming on location, and the importance of having proper safety measures and emergency protocols in place to ensure their well-being.