The most dramatic season ever?
Bachelor franchise host Chris Harrison claims each season is “the most dramatic season ever.” Season 16 of “The Bachelorette” which airs on Oct. 13, may just take the cake.
Clare Crawley was announced as the lead for this season on March 2. Clare is 39, making her the oldest bachelorette star to date. While most leads are runner-ups from the most recent season of “The Bachelor,” Clare appeared on the show six years ago, which is a long time in bachelor years.
The season was set to begin filming on March 13, but was postponed due to Covid-19 until July. Crawley and her group of suitors will spend the entire season at a resort in Palm Springs, California, instead of traveling like most seasons.
The list of men cast in Clare’s season was released to the public soon after her reveal. Of the 32 men cast, 23 of them were in their 20s, which sparked debate among fans.
Shortly after, Crawley announced a film delay in an instagram post, and fans had a lot to say. One fan responded, “You’re probably glad since 95% of your men are 10+ years younger than you! Maybe it’ll give them time to recast a little!” And ABC did just that.
The network recasted many of the men because they were no longer able to participate because of the film delay. The group became even larger with 25 new contestants added to the original group of 17. ABC may have used this as an opportunity to address fans’ concerns, as 20 of the new men were in their 30s or older.
The next bit of news Bachelor Nation clinged onto was creator Mike Fleiss tweeting on July 19 that the first rose ceremony had occurred. This confirmed the season’s official start.
However, after two weeks of filming, Us Weekly reported that alternative contestants were called by producers and asked to come to the resort in 24 hours, showing that something had gone wrong.
Tayshia Adams, who appeared on Colton Underwood’s season of “The Bachelor” as well as the spin-off, “Bachelor in Paradise,” was soon spotted on set. This prompted rumors that Crawley was being replaced. Multiple news outlets have reported that sources confirmed that Adams is the new Bachelorette.
Additionally, Entertainment Tonight reports that on Aug. 2, Crawley liked a tweet about Adams being the Bachelorette. Contestants are not allowed to have their phones on set, meaning Crawley was no longer at the resort.
Many rumors have circulated about why Clare decided to exit the show. The most shocking being that she allegedly fell in love with one contestant, Dale Moss. Further, it is rumored that Crawley and the mystery suitor got in contact prior to filming resulting in them having already formed a relationship before the show.
Hannah Ann Sluss from the most recent season of “The Bachelor” was also spotted at the resort, along with a hefty suitcase that made fans wonder what her involvement would be. Fans also speculate that Becca Kufrin of Arie’s season was at the resort, based on the background of some photos posted.
Lead of season 12 of “The Bachelorette” and fan favorite, Jojo Fletcher, was also seen. It is reported that she will replace host Chris Harrison for two weeks, as he was mandated to quarantine after seeing his son off to college.
But finally, the Bachelor nation thought they had it figured out — until Crawley was spotted again on set on Aug. 12. It is unclear if she returned to set after leaving or if she never left at all.
ABC has released many promos for the show only starring Crawley. Many fans believe that the first two weeks of the show will star Crawley and her search for love, and then Adams will star in the remainder of the season. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.