Dale Moss Admits He Went on Bachelor in Paradise Months After His Split from Galey Alix to 'Escape'

Dale Moss is breaking old patterns.

Five years after his unforgettable proposal to Clare Crawley just four episodes into season 16 of The Bachelorette, Moss, 36, is making his return to Bachelor Nation as a single man on Bachelor in Paradise.

Ahead of the season 10 premiere on July 7, Moss tells PEOPLE why he decided to join the show.

“Honestly, I’m in Paradise just to be open to the experience,” he says. “Life has a lot of changes, and I think there’s so many times that we want to control everything, right? And this is, for me, kind of refreshing stepping into an environment that I might not have all the answers to, and honestly, showing up and being myself and hoping that’s enough.”

Clare Crawley, Dale Moss. Craig Sjodin/ABC
Moss has had two relationships since he last appeared on The Bachelor franchise.
He and Crawley, who left her lead role behind to be with him, officially parted ways in September 2021 following a rocky relationship. Less than a year later, Moss began dating HGTV's Galey Alix, but the pair split at the end of 2024 after two-and-a-half years together.

“I kind of want to just escape,” he admits of his participation in BiP so soon after his breakup. “And I also know at the end of the day, meeting someone is very important to me. So I’m just open.”

“I can definitely say that in the past, and this is where I’ve grown a lot, I would shut down for really long times after a relationship,” he adds. “I’ve realized that that is not always the healthiest of things. And I had a great relationship with a great woman and we just couldn't close a gap. And [there is] so much respect there. So I think at some point, you’ve gotta take a step and see what’s there, and I think that’s what I’m doing.”

Moss also clarifies that there’s no bad blood between him and Alix and says moving on is “just part of the process.”

“I think ultimately, [in] a good relationship, you just want the other person to succeed and be happy,” he explains. “That’s how I feel for my last relationship, and that’s the ultimate. It’s never black and white. But I will say that I’m grateful for that relationship, and you never know what can happen in the future. But right now, I think it’s each person’s responsibility to try to heal themselves.”

Dale Moss, Galey Alix.Steven Blanco
Going into BiP, the former football player isn’t putting too much pressure on himself.
This time, Moss acknowledges he has a different mindset than he did on The Bachelorette in 2020.

“The first time around, I was proud of who I was,” he notes. “I think I just had a lot of insecurities and fears that a lot of men have [about] being enough for someone or really wanting to solve all these problems. I’ve learned a lot more about boundaries. And also, going into this, I know who I am. I know what type of woman I want, and I’m not really trying to impress anyone. It's kind of a big step for anyone just to come here and just put themselves out there.”

“I’m happy with where I’m at in my career, I’ve got very clear direction there, I’ve got great people around me,” he continues. “And I know that I want a relationship, and I can be patient with that. I don't need to rush it, but it’s important to see what’s out there.”

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Bachelor in Paradise premieres Monday, July 7 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.