In the new episode of the Ukrainian reality show "The Bachelor," which aired on November 6, 2026, an event occurred that instantly became the season's most discussed moment. During a charity basketball game organized by bachelor Slav Kravtsov for his contestants, Diana Zotova made a surprise appearance. She is a photo model from Mykolaiv, a contestant from the 14th season (2025), and a finalist of the "Miss Ukraine 2021" pageant. Her presence in the hall, where the new season's contestant team played against the star team (which included another former project star, Anastasia Yuzvak), caught the girls by surprise. Zotova came to discuss her life after leaving the reality show and, as it turned out, to receive the most unexpected invitation of her career from Kravtsov.
"I was sincere and have no regrets": Zotova on leaving the 14th season
In an interview given in the hall before the game, Diana Zotova spoke openly about her experience in the 14th season of "The Bachelor," headlined by actor Taras Tsymbalyuk. She stated that she honestly admitted to Tsymbalyuk that she was not ready to build new relationships because she remained emotionally attached to footballer Mykola Kukharevych. "I was just being sincere... I didn't even have time to fall in love. I never regretted leaving the project," the model stated. According to her, Tsymbalyuk let her go without a scandal. After the season ended, Zotova married Kukharevych, but by the summer of 2026, the couple announced their separation. "But things didn't work out as I had dreamed; we are in the divorce process," Diana admitted, adding that the marriage was concluded abroad, so the legal divorce process takes time. She also noted that she was disappointed that Kukharevych did not keep his promises made before the wedding. "Everything happened the way it was supposed to," Zotova concluded.
Basketball match and auction: Zotova and Yuzvak on the same team
The charity match itself took place in a "contestants vs. stars" format. Besides Zotova, Anastasia Yuzvak, another contestant from the 14th season, played for the star team. The match ended in a victory for the new season's contestants led by Kravtsov. After the game, an auction was held: Zotova and Yuzvak competed for a lot—a basketball signed by Slav Kravtsov. Diana planned to win the lot and give it to her brother, but Yuzvak made a higher bid. Kravtsov also put up a date with himself for auction immediately after the match. When the girls started making high bids, the bachelor made an unexpected decision: he announced that he would pay triple the amount for the lot himself, and all contestants would be able to spend time with him. In conversation with Kravtsov, Zotova asked a question about sports and noted that Yuzvak was "flirting" with him. Kravtsov, in turn, acknowledged Zotova's openness and honesty regarding her past marriage.
A Rose for Zotova: Kravtsov invites the model to the project
The climax of the evening was Kravtsov's decision itself. After a conversation about family—Zotova mentioned growing up in a large, close-knit family—the bachelor asked the girls to wait and returned with a red rose. The rose was meant specifically for Diana Zotova. Kravtsov explained his choice: "I felt a special connection with her." Zotova agreed to accept the invitation, although she noted that it was "hardly a calculated decision" and that it would be difficult for her at first. Thus, another competitor appeared in the new season of "The Bachelor," whose existence the contestants did not even suspect until the group went to the Carpathians. Zotova's appearance in the room where the contestants lived caused a turbulent reaction: the girls did not hide their emotions, and their dissatisfaction with Kravtsov's actions was shown in a teaser before the premiere. According to the contestants, they were angry that a competitor was added to the project without their knowledge.
Who is Diana Zotova: from gymnastics to reality TV
Diana Zotova is a Ukrainian photo model from Mykolaiv, a participant in the "Miss Ukraine 2021" beauty pageant, and a champion of Ukraine in sports ballroom dancing. Before her modeling career, she practiced rhythmic gymnastics. She is currently developing her professional career by collaborating with international brands. In 2025, she took part in the 14th season of "The Bachelor" with Taras Tsymbalyuk. It turned out they already knew each other: they first crossed paths in 2021 at the "Miss Ukraine" pageant, where Tsymbalyuk was the host. Subsequently, they communicated on social media, but it never led to a personal meeting. In the post-show of the 14th season, Zotova announced her engagement to footballer Mykola Kukharevych, but by the summer of 2026, the couple had split. In a public statement about the divorce, the model said: "I don't like bringing personal matters to the public. But I'm tired of hiding. Tired of getting the same questions every day. Tired of lying to people's faces. Tired of pretending nothing happened. Tired of explaining other people's actions."
Thus, November 6, 2026, became a day of double return to "The Bachelor" for Diana Zotova: first as a guest of the charity match, and then as a full-fledged participant of the new season. Her appearance on the project, against the backdrop of already established relationships between Kravtsov and his teams, promises to add an extra dramatic element to the show, and the reaction of the contestants who learned about the new competitor only after leaving for the Carpathians indicates that difficult episodes lie ahead for viewers.
