Who is Danielle Maltby on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’? Meet Michael Allio’s New Love Interest

The first new arrival during Week 4, Part 1 of Bachelor in Paradise is a familiar face for longtime fans of Bachelor Nation. Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise alum Danielle Maltby walked down the stairs at the start of Episode 6 with her eyes on widowed single dad Michael Allio. The two went on a romantic date, where they opened up about grief, loss, and love. And now we can’t stop shipping them.

So who is Danielle Maltby? How did Danielle and Michael know each other before Paradise? And how did their first date go? We’ve got all the answers. But be warned, spoilers for Bachelor in Paradise Season 8, Episode 6 are ahead.

Who Is Danielle Maltby on Bachelor in Paradise?

Danielle Maltby is a neonatal nurse from Nashville, Tennessee, who started her Bachelor journey on Season 21 of The Bachelor. She dated lead Nick Viall but was eliminated during Week 7 of the show, then she returned to the franchise for a short-lived run on Season 4 of Bachelor in Paradise. She left the beach during Week 2, but Season 8 seems to be treating her better already.

Over the years, Maltby has opened up about the tragic death of her fiancé, musician Nick Haag. During Paradise Season 8, she explained that he died 11 years ago from a drug overdose. “I found him, I did CPR, I called 911 — so there’s so much trauma around that situation,” Danielle told Michael (whose wife Laura died from cancer) during their first date. She explained that she thinks Nick would want her to be in a safe relationship, and that she loves the person she’s become after years of hard work and healing.

After Maltby appeared on Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise she started dating Big Brother and Ex on the Beach star Paulie Calafiore, but the two broke up in 2018 after he allegedly cheated on her with The Challenge star Cara Maria Sorbello.

We dug up Maltby’s old ABC bio using the web archive, so here’s some additional info on her from her early 2017 Bachelor days:

• Height: 5’10”
• Tattoos: Yes, on my ribs – getting removed. On my low back – almost removed. And one on my left ringer finger that says “strength.”
• All-time favorite movies: The Sandlot, Ferris Bueller, The Notebook
• If you could be any animal, which one and why? A Pegasus – haha! So I can run and fly and have a beautiful mane.
• What is the most outrageous thing you have ever done? Moved to Nashville and put myself back together.
• What are five things you can’t live without? Family, friends, water, chocolate, green smoothies
• If you could break any law, with no repercussions, which law, and why? Pretty sure there’s a law in Louisiana or Tennessee that states you can’t eat ice cream on the sidewalk or something weird like that. I’ll break that one.
• When and why did you leave your hometown? I lost my fiancé and I needed to start fresh somewhere.
• What’s the closest you have ever come to being married, and why didn’t it work out? Engaged – my fiancé passed away.
• If you could be a fictional character, who would you be and why? Hermione Granger. She’s a smart, clever, beautiful witch.

You can learn more about Danielle by following her on Instagram, where she currently has 264,000 followers, or listening to her podcast, The WoMed Podcast, which is described as a “healthcare podcast uplifting voices in medicine.”

How Do Danielle Maltby and Michael Allio on Bachelor in Paradise Know Each Other?

At the start of Bachelor in Paradise Episode 6, Michael was on the chopping block, praying for a Paradise miracle ahead of the rose ceremony. He got one when Danielle walked down the stairs, and the two hit it off just in time for Danielle to offer him her rose.

When Danielle arrived on the beach, Paradise bartender Wells Adams told cameras she was “the best person in the world.” He also said that she and Michael had both been through a lot and deserved to find love again. “They’re they same person, they should be together!” he stressed.

As the episode progressed, Danielle and Michael revealed that although they’d never met in person before Bachelor in Paradise, they did have a pre-existing social media friendship and a very similar history. Danielle lost her fiancé Nick to a drug overdose, and Michael lost his late wife Laura to cancer, so the two were able to relate to each other on a deep level.

“I lost my fiancé about 11 years ago, and you had posted something — maybe it was an anniversary post or something — and I was like, ‘Hey, as someone from the franchise…we have some things in common if you ever need anyone to talk to,’” Danielle recalled. Later in the episode, she also told Michael that the possibility of meeting him IRL is what made her want to come on the show. We’re crying, it’s fine!

After a successful date featuring champagne on a boat, some exploring time in Mexico, and emotional heart-to-hearts, Danielle and Michael kissed. He told cameras, “A piece of both Laura and Nick still exist within the love that we could possibly share…Maybe it’s the last first date of my life.”

Reality Steve Rumors: Do Danielle and Michael Get Engaged or End Up Together on Bachelor in Paradise?

According to Reality Steve’s Paradise 2022 predictions, Danielle and Michael don’t get engaged at the end of the season, but they do leave the beach as a couple. We’ll have to wait to see if the rumors are true, but fingers crossed that these two find love.

New episodes of Bachelor in Paradise air on ABC Mondays and Tuesdays from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET. Episodes are available for next-day streaming on Hulu.