Zac C. from 'The Bachelorette' Said His Ex-Wife "Did Nothing Wrong"
Published Dec. 8 2020, 2:09 p.m. ET
Though the men vying for Tayshia Adams' heart (and her final rose) on The Bachelorette were originally cast for Clare Crawley, several of them have been able to forge strong connections with the former phlebotomist.
One frontrunner for Season 16 is Zac Clark, who has not shied away from discussing his feelings, and who opened up immediately about his past struggles with addiction and his desire to help others.
On the Dec. 1 episode, Zac C. and Tayshia went on their first one-on-one date, and they broke the ice by doing a wedding photoshoot.
The fun photos weren't the first time that either of the two had worn wedding gear before. Both Tayshia and Zac C. have previously been married.
While Tayshia's past romance with ex-husband Josh Bourelle has been discussed throughout her time on The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, and The Bachelorette, Zac C. hasn't said much about his previous marriage.
Who is Zac Clark's ex-wife, and was there cheating involved in their split?
Who is Zac Clark's ex-wife? Did cheating lead to their divorce?
On The Bachelorette, Zac C. has been candid about his past addiction to drugs. He's publicly spoken out about getting hooked on painkillers, heroin, and crack.
In 2014, Zac spoke about addiction at a gathering at Alvernia University. Reading Eagle reported that he discussed getting married in his early 20s when he was in the throes of his addiction.
He explained that his 10-day honeymoon to St. Thomas proved to be difficult for him, as he did not know where he could get drugs from during that period.
The addiction specialist also briefly discussed his past marriage with Tayshia on the show. During his one-on-one date with the lead, Zac said that he got married at the age of 23 after he got a brain tumor removed. He also got hooked on painkillers after the operation.
"That's when I decided like, 'Oh, yeah, I'll get married," he said about not knowing what to do next.
"It was the next step," Tayshia said.
"Yeah. And she did nothing wrong. It's important to say," Zac continued, before adding that he abused drugs and alcohol during his marriage.
After he got a DUI, Zac said that his wife left him.
"She's like, 'This is over,'" he shared about his split.
It does not, according to Zac, appear as if cheating played a part in his divorce.
Though his DUI led to the demise of his marriage, it also sparked Zac's commitment to recovery.
He went to a rehabilitation facility for more than four months after the incident. Afterward, he began his work helping others struggling with addiction in New York City.
Further information about Zac's ex-wife, including her name or the exact date of their divorce, has not been publicly shared.
What is Zac Clark's job?
The 36-year-old lists his occupation as an addiction specialist on The Bachelorette (which is a change from the many influencer wannabes we've seen on recent seasons). He runs Release Recovery, which has bases in New York City and Westchester County. He founded the program with Justin Gurland in 2017.
Per the company's website, the goal of the program is to help people with "early recovery" and for them to learn "accountability."
Justin and Zac established a four-tier recovery program for their clients. The steps include Foundation, Formation, Momentum, and Release.
You can catch Zac C. (and see his relationship with Tayshia blossom) on Season 16 of The Bachelorette.
The Bachelorette airs on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
