Is a Former ‘Bachelorette’ Contestant Returning for Katie Thurston’s Season?

ABC/Craig Sjodin Katie Thurston's season of The Bachelorette will premiere on June 7.

STOP! Do not read beyond this point if you do not want to see spoilers for season 17 of The Bachelorette.

A familiar face is set to make his return on Katie Thurston’s season of The Bachelorette. After rumors spread online that Blake Moynes was currently filming in New Mexico, ABC Executive Rob Mills seemingly confirmed the news on Thursday.

Mills retweeted an Us Weekly article on Moynes’ return, writing, “Moynes-mania in New Mexico!” His comment was then retweeted by the show’s creator, Mike Fleiss.

This verification comes as photos of the wildlife manager on set emerged online, shared to the Instagram account of Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti’s Almost Famous podcast. The account captioned the photos, “Exclusive!! Spotted — Ben and Ashley can reveal that Blake from Tayshia’s season has been spotted filming.”

Rumors of Moynes’ return to the dating franchise first surfaced on Reddit, with users noting his apparent absence from social media and sharing claims text messages are not going through to his phone number.

Moynes first appeared on Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette, setting up the Canadian contestant for a reunion with his on-screen ex.

ABC previously announced Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe would take over hosting duties for Chris Harrison in the upcoming season as he continues to face fallout for admittedly “excusing historical racism.”

Thurston’s Contestants Have Already Been Revealed

While the exact reason why Moynes is filming at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa has not been released, most online seem to think he is there vying for Thurston’s heart. One Reddit user even theorized he was returning so the producers could set him up as the next Bachelor.

If he is entering the dating competition, he will be following in the footsteps of Bachelor Nation alumni like Nick Viall, Heather Martin and Becca Tilley. The most recent seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette also saw additional contestants enter after night one.

ABC has already released the 34 men in the running to win over Thurston’s heart, though it is typical for some of the men to not make it to filming. Among the contestants are two fathers, real estate agents, male models, athletes and, yes, musicians. It is not customary for late additions to be announced before the show’s airing.

Fans Think Moynes Was Hinting at his Return on Instagram

Was Moynes hinting at his appearance on The Bachelorette? Fans on Reddit pointed out that his March 22 Instagram post, the last before he went off to film, could have been a clue.

“It’s OK to be a cat guy,” he captioned the photograph and video of himself with a cat. “Tell me why it’s not.”

As Thurston has showcased time and again online, she is the owner of a 12-year-old cat named Tommy.

The pair are both known for their sex-positive attitudes, another reason why some fans think they could be a good match.

Thurston made a splash on night one of Matt James’ season when she emerged from the limo with a vibrator in hand. She has also gained a following on TikTok, with many of her videos tackling sexual topics.

Viewers noticed Moynes’ fixation with sex when he molded a penis out of clay on a group date during Adams’ season. Following the date, castmate Spencer Robertson said in a confessional “It surprises nobody that [Blake] made a penis. He is constantly talking about sex.”

Viewers will discover if the pair is a match made in Bachelor Nation when the dating competition returns this summer.

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