We’ve been in the midst of Taylor Swift mania for what feels like an eternity. Between recording-breaking tours and concert movies and plans for yet another studio album, the musician’s star power is only continuing to rise; a true feat for someone who has already been in show business for almost a decade. 

With so many eyes pointed firmly in her direction, it’s only natural that attention has turned to Swift’s new man. In the past, the pop star has been linked to the likes of Harry Styles, John Mayer, Jake Gyllenhaal and Joe Alwyn, each of whom likely inspired a hit song that’s no-doubt still buzzing inescapably around your head.

It’s Swift’s current romance with NFL tight end Travis Kelce that has attracted the most buzz, probably because of the high school cheerleader-meets-lovable-jock storyline that seems built-in to their relationship. But before he was attached to the hip of the most recognisable woman in the world, Travis Kelce was the star of a short-lived reality television dating show. Here’s everything we know about Catching Kelce.

The Travis Kelce dating show, explained

Catching Kelce aired on E! in 2016. At the time, Kelce was newly signed to his current team, the Kansas City Chiefs, and was garnering attention for his affable personality off the field. Enjoying a one-season, seven-episode run, Catching Kelce documented the namesake athlete’s attempt to find love from a dating pool of 50 women, with one from each state (that seems like a lot of work). 

The Bachelor-style series had an early frontrunner in the form of Kentucky’s Maya Benberry, who would go on to become the last woman standing by the show’s end. Benberry was chosen as one of the contenders in Kelce’s very first group date in episode two, though she was shown to be quite competitive as the series progressed. Benberry was considered cutthroat in her approach to the show, and Kelce’s manager said she reminded him of the footballer’s ex-girlfriend. 

Benberry was nonetheless chosen by Kelce in the finale, with the runner-up being New Jersey resident Veronica Harwood. The latter was the first contestant to get a solo date with Kelce, and was among the four to reach the finale alongside Benberry, Avery Schlereth from Colorado, and Lauren Schwab from Missouri. 

Other notable moments from the show included the mass departure of 30 women following a speed dating session in the premiere, a cameo appearance from Red Foo of LMFAO, and the increasing competition among the bachelorettes as numbers began to dwindle. There’s also a subplot involving one contestant’s claim to have dated actor/model Fabio, and another moment in which a castmate kisses Kelce on the spot after he put her in the friend-zone.

As for Kelce’s thoughts on the show years on from its release, the footballer seems somewhat apathetic about the experience. He told Wall Street Journal that he doesn’t really reflect on the Catching Kelce era, and has elsewhere claimed that the show didn’t represent him accurately.

In any case, Kelce has since found his match in Swift, and this time there’s even more cameras ready to capture it all. 

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