THE Bachelorette has returned with Monday's premiere featuring two leading ladies, and fans are already slamming the show's producers.
Bachelor finalists Gabby Windey, 31, and Rachel Recchia, 26, both star in this season of The Bachelorette for the first time in the show's history with two Bachelorettes co-leading a full season.
Fans on social media are critical of the producers, alleging that even the show planners don't know how this unique season is going to work.
One fan wrote on Twitter: "The producers are acting like they’re letting the women call the shots but really they don’t even know how the hell this season is going to work with TWO women."
Read our Bachelorette live blog for the latest news and updates…
- Jennifer Korn
Historic Bachelorettes
While some fans weren't happy with the show's decision to have Jesse return as host, many were thrilled to learn of the show's leading ladies.
It was revealed during March's After the Final Rose special that both Rachel and Gabby will star in season 19 together.
Jesse left commercial airline pilot Rachel and ICU nurse Gabby stunned when he revealed they would be the new Bachelorettes.
The ladies – who were sitting in the audience at the time – hugged each other tightly.
Rachel exclaimed, "You deserve this," to which Gabby said: "No, you do! Oh my God!"
- Jennifer Korn
Are Clayton and Susie together?
Clayton Echard revealed on the finale that he and Susie Evans are still currently together, even though she initially rejected his marriage proposal in Iceland.
Susie called Clayton her boyfriend and the pair revealed to a live studio audience during the Bachelor finale that Clayton is moving to Virginia to be with Susie.
The couple said that they are happy together.
- Jennifer Korn
Can couples keep the ring?
Winning couples who become engaged by the end of the Bachelor season can keep the engagement ring for free… as long as they don’t break up.
Couples who call it quits within two years of becoming engaged on the show must return the ring.
- Josie Rhodes Cook
'We were on our own journey'
Gabby also expressed that Clayton might have had ulterior motives all along.
"I truly felt that we were on our own journey," Gabby said.
"But watching it back, you were clearly pinning us against each other."
When Clayton asked Gabby if he could walk her out, she responded and quickly said "no."
- Josie Rhodes Cook
Gabby and Clayton's breakup
During the March 15 finale, Clayton sat both Gabby and Rachel down to break up with them.
"It's not feasibly possible for me to be in love with three women like I said I was," Clayton said.
Gabby did not hold back on confronting Clayton when he broke up with her.
"When you say you love someone, you're assuming responsibility to protect someone's feelings and you didn't do that."
- Josie Rhodes Cook
Who is Gabby Windey?
Gabby, 31, is a cheerleader for NFL's Denver Broncos, but during the Covid-19 pandemic, she showed her passion extends beyond the field.
When the Covid-19 pandemic closed stadiums and hospitals were in dire need of staff, Gabby, who had been dancing since the age of 12, focused her energy on saving lives.
She had been a nurse for three years when she was hired to be a cheerleader for the Denver Broncos in 2016.
- Josie Rhodes Cook
Rachel and Clayton's breakup
In the March 15, 2022, finale, Clayton sat Rachel down to break up with her.
Rachel cussed Clayton out and was upset that he kept her on the show when he did not see a future with her.
She said: "I promise you that when you look back at this, it will haunt you."
"I gave you everything."
Rachel left the show in tears.
She sobbed: "I'm so heartbroken but at least now I have an answer."
- Josie Rhodes Cook
Who is Rachel Recchia?
Rachel is a 26-year-old from Orlando, Florida.
She works as a commercial pilot and flight instructor.
Rachel's birthday is March 8, which makes her a Pisces.
She first joined Bachelor nation when she competed in Clayton Echard's season of The Bachelor where she went on to lose the competition.
- Josie Rhodes Cook
The Bachelorette makes history
The Bachelorette has made history by announcing that both Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey will be season 19's leading ladies.
It was revealed during the After the Final Rose special in March that the two women will star in season 19 together.
Host Jesse Palmer left commercial airline pilot Rachel, 26, and ICU nurse Gabby, 31, stunned when he revealed they would be the new Bachelorettes.
- Carsen Holaday
How many are moving on?
A total of 29 men were invited to continue with the show after the bachelorettes decided to skip the first rose ceremony.
After sending Roby, Justin and Joey home, the women took a moment to address the remaining men.
"Tonight, we felt like we didn't have enough time to really get to know you all and that would be doing ourselves and you all a disservice," Gabby said.
"We are asking you to move forward with us and cancel the rose ceremony tonight."
Rachel added: "For those of you we didn't speak with tonight, we look forward to getting to know you better next week."
- Carsen Holaday
Gabby's thoughts on Jacob
After Jacob Rapini rode into the show shirtless on a white horse, he got to spend some time alone with Gabby in front of the fireplace.
He showed the bachelorette a list of traits that he is looking for in his partner.
Gabby said that she thinks Jacob is "great."
"He came to our conversation very intentional, which is nice. But he is way more shy than I thought."
- Carsen Holaday
'Boys are dumb'
One of the most quotable moments of the night came when Erich told Gabby at the cocktail party that she looked beautiful.
After thanking him, she quickly added: "I have fake hair and a fake tan but you can't tell because boys are dumb."
- Carsen Holaday
Rachel's connection with Tino
Tino, who entered the episode on a forklift, and Rachel shared a first kiss on the stairs of the Bachelor Mansion during the cocktail party.
Tino wanted to speak privately with Rachel on the stairs to redo last season’s moment when Rachel cried over Clayton on a staircase.
“I was so happy to finally get a kiss tonight,” Rachel said.
“Tino is definitely the romantic connection that I’ve been waiting to have.”
Rachel gave Tino her first impression rose, leading to another romantic kiss.
- Carsen Holaday
Two-drink rule on The Bachelor
Following a sexual misbehavior issue involving past competitors Corinne Olympios and Demario Jackson, ABC instituted a two-drink-per-hour restriction to keep the cast from being too tipsy.
Former participant Wells Adams told The Cheat Sheet, “There was a binder with everyone’s picture on it and the rule was you can only have two drinks an hour.”
“That was either two beers an hour, two mixed drinks an hour, two shots an hour.”
- Carsen Holaday
How to watch past seasons
If you want to watch old episodes, there are a few ways to do so.
Fans can stream past seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette on Hulu, YouTube TV, fuboTV, and DIRECTV Stream.
- Carsen Holaday
No access to the outside
During the two months that the show films, contestants do not have access to their phones or internet.
Contestants must make arrangements to take care of their finances while they are gone.
- Carsen Holaday
How much do contestants get paid?
The contestants do not get paid to be on the show.
Despite contestants competing for free, many of them do receive social media sponsorships after their time on the show.
However, Reality Steve reported that the Bachelor makes $100,000 for his time on the show.
- Carsen Holaday
The famous roses
Season 16 contestant Courtney Robertson confirmed that the roses used in the rose ceremonies are in fact, real.
However, the rest of the roses in the mansion and in the front gardens are reportedly fake.
- Carsen Holaday
Bachelorette has a higher success rate
Despite having nine fewer seasons than the Bachelor, the Bachelorette has a higher success rate.
Five couples still remain (including the most recent, Michelle and Nayte) of the Bachelorette’s 18 winning pairs.
Of the Bachelor’s 25 winning pairs, only two couples are still together.
- Carsen Holaday
Eligibility to join the show
According to the eligibility requirements on the ABC website, applicants must be at least 21-years-old and residents of the US or Canada to apply.
They must also be single, pass a background check and have a passport.
ABC states on their website that the network is allowed to film contestants up to 24 hours, 7 days a week, and can release any information they’ve found via a third-party source.
- Carsen Holaday
How to join the Bachelorette, continued
The second way applicants can apply is via casting call. Fans can find more information on when and where casting calls are held on BachelorNation.com.
In-person applicants are asked to fill out a more detailed form with questions about why their past relationships ended, why they want to find love on television, and what they find most attractive, physically and personality-wise, in a future spouse.
Former contestants have also revealed that some casting is done through social media and casting directors have reached out on Instagram.
It’s important to have an open account where producers can access potential candidates the platform.
- Carsen Holaday
How to join the Bachelorette
There are two ways to apply to be on The Bachelor or Bachelorette.
Firstly, there is an online application that can be completed at BachelorNation.com.
The questions on the form for each show are basic, asking for name, age, height, what your occupation is, and if you have been married before or have children.
There is also a question about why you want to be on The Bachelor or Bachelorette. It asks applicants to submit their social media handles and whether or not they know someone else who they think would be good for show.
- Carsen Holaday
Dedicated fan
One Bachelor viewer and her boyfriend are going viral on Twitter for their dedication to the show.
The Twitter user shared that she thought her boyfriend was working on his laptop, but he was instead collecting crucial data about The Bachelorette's new contestants.
- Carsen Holaday
Gabby dated a former contestant
Gabby has dated previous Bachelor contestant Dean Unglert, 30, who appeared in season 13 of The Bachelorette.
He was eliminated in week eight but later returned on Bachelor in Paradise for the fourth and sixth seasons.
Dean had only kind things to say when the producers of The Bachelor asked about his ex-girlfriend.
Gabby and Dean dated when they were 19 years old and Dean said she was the “second love of his life.”
On his podcast, Dean said he told producers, “'Oh, she’s great. If she gets selected for the show, she’ll either win the show or she’ll be the next Bachelorette.’ And I firmly believe that.”
- Carsen Holaday
Jordan's race to Rachel
Drag racer Jordan Vandergriff, 27, is from Alpharetta, Georgia.
The "sweet southern man" showed Rachel Recchia his impressive race car and told her that he auditioned for the show to be with her.
In Jesse's description of Jordan, he said that the racer appreciates romantic love letters.
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