# Jillian Harris
**Jillian Harris** (born 1979) is a Canadian interior designer, television personality, and entrepreneur who first became known as a contestant on the thirteenth season of the American reality series *The Bachelor* and then as the lead of the fifth season of *The Bachelorette* in 2009. She later built a career in design television and lifestyle commerce, co-hosting HGTV Canada's *[Love It or List It Vancouver](https://www.edgepedia.org/love-it-or-list-it-vancouver)* and co-founding the subscription retail platform The Jilly Box.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979, Peace River, Alberta, Canada[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3301280/bio/) |
| Reality TV | Final three on *The Bachelor* season 13 (2009); lead of *The Bachelorette* season 5 (2009)[2](https://realitytvworld.com/news/interview-jillian-harris-talks-about-her-time-on-the-bachelor-8479.php) |
| Design television | Designer on ABC's *Extreme Makeover: Home Edition*; co-host of *Love It or List It Vancouver* for 101 episodes[3](https://bcliving.ca/home/general/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-on-designing-on-and-off-screen/) • [4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/119618/jillian-harris) |
| Business | Founder of Jillian Harris Design and The Jilly Academy; co-founder of The Jilly Box, which supports over 500 mostly women-led Canadian brands[5](https://vitamagazine.com/2026/02/19/the-purpose-pivot-jillian-harris-on-b-corp-cert-conscious-commerce-scaling-with-heart/) |
| Certification | The Jilly Box and Jillian Harris Design Inc. became B Corp certified in 2023[5](https://vitamagazine.com/2026/02/19/the-purpose-pivot-jillian-harris-on-b-corp-cert-conscious-commerce-scaling-with-heart/) |
| Partner and children | With Justin Pasutto since 2012; engaged December 2016; married August 23, 2025; son Leo (born 2016) and daughter Annie (born 2018)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3301280/bio/) |
| Recognition | Retail Council of Canada's Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year, announced April 2, 2026[6](https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/jillian-harris-named-retail-council-110300650.html) |
## Early life and design career
Harris was born in 1979 in [Peace River](https://www.edgepedia.org/peace-river), Alberta, and worked as an interior designer before television, bringing roughly ten years of design-industry experience to her first television roles[2](https://realitytvworld.com/news/interview-jillian-harris-talks-about-her-time-on-the-bachelor-8479.php) • [3](https://bcliving.ca/home/general/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-on-designing-on-and-off-screen/). Before appearing on *The Bachelor*, she worked at Browns Restaurant Group, where she led the design team, oversaw project management of new restaurants, and handled branding and menu development[7](https://jillianharris.com/behind-the-scenes-with-jilly-life-before-the-bachelor/). Her company, Jillian Harris Design, has created commercial and residential spaces in the United States and Canada[3](https://bcliving.ca/home/general/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-on-designing-on-and-off-screen/).
## Reality television
**The Bachelor.** Harris applied to *The Bachelor* after finding the application on the show's website while searching for a dress, sending what she described as a funny picture and a silly comment and never expecting a reply[3](https://bcliving.ca/home/general/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-on-designing-on-and-off-screen/). She competed on the thirteenth season, whose lead was [Jason Mesnick](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-mesnick), and reached the final three before being eliminated on the penultimate episode[2](https://realitytvworld.com/news/interview-jillian-harris-talks-about-her-time-on-the-bachelor-8479.php). In a 2009 interview she described being surprised by the elimination and discussed her "hot dog test," a personality-compatibility analogy she used on the show[2](https://realitytvworld.com/news/interview-jillian-harris-talks-about-her-time-on-the-bachelor-8479.php).
**The Bachelorette.** She was then cast as the lead of the fifth season of *The Bachelorette*, which aired in 2009[8](https://time.com/4329284/every-single-season-of-the-bachelorette-ranked/). She entered the finale with three finalists, realtor Reid Rosenthal, business developer Kiptyn Locke, and technology consultant Ed Swiderski, and chose Swiderski, who proposed with a 3-carat Neil Lane diamond ring[8](https://time.com/4329284/every-single-season-of-the-bachelorette-ranked/) • [9](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/jillian-harris/). The relationship ended; [Us Weekly](https://www.edgepedia.org/us-weekly) reported in June 2010 that Harris moved out of the Chicago apartment she shared with Swiderski after about a year together[9](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/jillian-harris/).
In a 2012 post on her website, Harris said that *Bachelorette* producers had sometimes attempted to sway her elimination decisions, though they generally let her do what she wanted; she recalled once refusing to return to a room until producers allowed her to send a particular contestant home, which they ultimately did[10](https://www.realitytvworld.com/news/jillian-harris-bachelorette-producers-did-try-sway-my-decisions--13092.php).
**Design television.** After her season ended, Harris said she initially wanted to distance herself from television, but accepted a role as a designer on ABC's *Extreme Makeover: Home Edition*, a show she chose because it combined design, philanthropy, and reality television[3](https://bcliving.ca/home/general/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-on-designing-on-and-off-screen/). She went on to co-host *Love It or List It Vancouver* on HGTV Canada, appearing in 101 episodes, and also hosted *Canada's Handyman Challenge*[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/119618/jillian-harris) • [11](https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/speakers/390250/Jillian-Harris). On *Love It or List It Vancouver* she persuaded producers to shoot a season in Kelowna, British Columbia, where she was then living[12](https://globalnews.ca/news/4299256/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-uses-her-influence-to-shine-spotlight-on-the-okanagan-local-causes/).
## Business and writing
Harris runs JillianHarris.com, a lifestyle blog covering fashion, food, decor, fitness, and travel, which her talent agency says reaches over 1,000,000 readers a month[13](https://www.yorkjames.com/talent/jillian-harris/). She is the founder of Jillian Harris Design and The Jilly Academy, and co-founder of The Jilly Box[14](https://jillianharris.com/about/).
**The Jilly Box.** Started with co-founder Tyler Evans, The Jilly Box began as a quarterly subscription and grew into a year-round retail platform that supports over 500 mostly women-led Canadian brands[5](https://vitamagazine.com/2026/02/19/the-purpose-pivot-jillian-harris-on-b-corp-cert-conscious-commerce-scaling-with-heart/). In 2023, The Jilly Box and Jillian Harris Design Inc. became B Corp certified, a designation indicating that a business meets standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors including employee benefits, charitable giving, and supply-chain practices[5](https://vitamagazine.com/2026/02/19/the-purpose-pivot-jillian-harris-on-b-corp-cert-conscious-commerce-scaling-with-heart/) • [14](https://jillianharris.com/about/). In April 2026, the Retail Council of Canada named Harris its Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year, citing her purpose-driven retail platform that champions Canadian small businesses[6](https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/jillian-harris-named-retail-council-110300650.html).
**Books.** Harris co-authored the cookbook *Fraiche Food, Fuller Hearts* with her cousin, the food blogger and nutritionist Tori Wesszer[11](https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/speakers/390250/Jillian-Harris). She and Justin Pasutto later published the children's book *Just Another Perfect Day*, illustrated by Morgan Goble[15](https://linktr.ee/JillianHarris).
## Personal life
Harris has been in a relationship with Justin Pasutto since 2012. The couple became engaged in December 2016 and have two children: a son, Leo, born in 2016, and a daughter, Annie, born in 2018[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3301280/bio/). After eight years engaged, they married on August 23, 2025, in a multi-day wedding celebration that Harris described as the best week of her life[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3301280/bio/) • [16](https://bachelornation.com/2026/08/25/jillian-harris-celebrates-1st-wedding-anniversary-with-husband-justin-pasutto-such-a-dream/).
She lives in the Okanagan region of [British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-columbia) and has used her platform to promote local causes there, including Mamas for Mamas and the KGH Foundation[12](https://globalnews.ca/news/4299256/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-uses-her-influence-to-shine-spotlight-on-the-okanagan-local-causes/). She speaks often about her plant-based diet, though she is not vegan, and describes herself as a conscious consumer[12](https://globalnews.ca/news/4299256/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-uses-her-influence-to-shine-spotlight-on-the-okanagan-local-causes/).
## References
1. [Jillian Harris – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3301280/bio/)
2. [Interview: Jillian Harris talks about her time on 'The Bachelor', Reality TV World (February 19, 2009)](https://realitytvworld.com/news/interview-jillian-harris-talks-about-her-time-on-the-bachelor-8479.php)
3. [Reality TV Star Jillian Harris on Designing On and Off Screen, BC Living (March 1, 2011)](https://bcliving.ca/home/general/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-on-designing-on-and-off-screen/)
4. [Jillian Harris, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/119618/jillian-harris)
5. [The Purpose Pivot: Jillian Harris On B Corp Cert, Conscious Commerce & Scaling With Heart, VITA Daily (February 19, 2026)](https://vitamagazine.com/2026/02/19/the-purpose-pivot-jillian-harris-on-b-corp-cert-conscious-commerce-scaling-with-heart/)
6. [Jillian Harris Named Retail Council of Canada's Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year, CNW Group via Yahoo Finance (April 2, 2026)](https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/jillian-harris-named-retail-council-110300650.html)
7. [Behind The Scenes With Jilly: Life Before The Bachelor, JillianHarris.com (July 15, 2015)](https://jillianharris.com/behind-the-scenes-with-jilly-life-before-the-bachelor/)
8. [Every Single Season of The Bachelorette, Ranked, Time (May 30, 2016)](https://time.com/4329284/every-single-season-of-the-bachelorette-ranked/)
9. [Jillian Harris News, Us Weekly](https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrities/jillian-harris/)
10. [Jillian Harris: 'Bachelorette' producers did try to sway my decisions, Reality TV World (February 1, 2012)](https://www.realitytvworld.com/news/jillian-harris-bachelorette-producers-did-try-sway-my-decisions--13092.php)
11. [Jillian Harris – Speaker Profile, All American Entertainment](https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/speakers/390250/Jillian-Harris)
12. [Reality TV star Jillian Harris uses her influence to shine spotlight on the Okanagan, local causes, Global News (June 26, 2018)](https://globalnews.ca/news/4299256/reality-tv-star-jillian-harris-uses-her-influence-to-shine-spotlight-on-the-okanagan-local-causes/)
13. [Jillian Harris, York & James talent profile](https://www.yorkjames.com/talent/jillian-harris/)
14. [About, Jillian Harris Design Inc.](https://jillianharris.com/about/)
15. [Jillian Harris, Linktree](https://linktr.ee/JillianHarris)
16. [Jillian Harris Celebrates 1st Wedding Anniversary with Husband Justin Pasutto, Bachelor Nation (August 25, 2026)](https://bachelornation.com/2026/08/25/jillian-harris-celebrates-1st-wedding-anniversary-with-husband-justin-pasutto-such-a-dream/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Reality television personalities and media celebrities › Competition reality contestants › Dating show contestants*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license