Keeping it real.

The most recent season of “The Bachelorette” is currently on pause. And as fans wait to see what happens next, the men from Season 22 have been appearing on the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast.

Each guy has been exclusively discussing how they’re feeling and sharing more of their stories so listeners can get to know them better. 

Now, Malik has joined the podcast and got candid while expressing his disappointment over the pause. 

Very directly, he shared, “The world is an absolute sh*t show right now. Like, everything feels like it’s in flames and fire and we’re just all waking up like, ‘Everything’s okay.’ And that’s honestly how I feel in relation to what’s actually happening in the world of Bachelor Nation as well. Like sh*t show, left and right.”

He went on, “I woke up today and I’m like, ‘What the f**k is going on?’ I don’t even know how to feel day in and day out. Some days I feel like things are [a] ‘it is what it is’ type of mindset. Just, like, move past it. And then some days I’m like, no, actually this is sh*tty and definitely not what we all expected.”

Malik continued, stating that he’s disappointed in a variety of the aspects related to pausing the season. 

“I would say the best way to put that in a nutshell, I would say I probably feel like the most disappointed,” he admitted. “Disappointed in both the situation, disappointed in the knee-jerk reaction of the powers that may be. Disappointed in the actions that Taylor herself did, which obviously gotta hold her accountable. But also extend grace to her. I can only imagine when the world is literally coming down on you and you have nowhere to look or no one to talk to, right?”

He continued, “So I extend grace for her for that, but at the end of the day, still gonna hold her toes to the fire and understand that we are where we are today because of things that transpired a couple years ago. Which is unfortunate that it is blocking such a massive opportunity for her to tell her story in a way and also for the guys like myself to have their space and the journey that we all committed ourselves to, which is falling in love.”

Malik also revealed that while he can’t speak for the other men on his season, he can guess similar sentiments are being felt and he wants the season to air. 

“We need to just release it. What is holding us back? There’s absolutely nothing that’s confining us right now,” he expressed. “Obviously something did transpire, but the severity of the show being completely halted right now is mind-boggling. So yeah, I mean it’s hard to speak for anybody, I can only speak for myself. I know how I feel day in and day out, and it’s hard to shoulder happiness and joy when such a big thing has been put on hold. And honestly, my life in a lot of ways. Like, I’m in my head constantly.” 

Hear the rest of Malik’s interview in the full episode of “Bachelor Happy Hour” below!