YouTube/Bachelor Nation Zach Shallcross on "The Bachelor."
Zach Shallcross’ heart is up for grabs, as both the drama and romance heat up on “The Bachelor.”
WARNING: STOP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS FOR SEASON 27 OF “THE BACHELOR.”
The 26-year-old will go on three dates this week, two one-on-one dates and one group date, in what ABC describes as “a crucial week.” Among the dates is the return of a franchise-favorite sporting event. Who are the professional athletes joining Shallcross and the remaining 17 contestants? Who will receive the date roses? Who ends up leaving before the rose ceremony?
The women still in the running for Shallcross’ heart are:
- Aly Jacobs, 26, a healthcare strategist from Atlanta, Georgia
- Anastasia Keramidas, 30, a content marketing manager from San Diego, California
- Ariel Frenkel, 28, a marketing executive from New York City, New York
- Bailey Brown, 27, an executive recruiter from Nashville, Tennessee
- Brianna Thorbourne, 24, an entrepreneur from Jersey City, New Jersey
- Brooklyn Willie, 25, a rodeo racer from Stillwater, Oklahoma
- Charity Lawson, 26, a child and family therapist from Columbus, Georgia
- Christina Mandrell, 26, a content creator from Nashville, Tennessee
- Davia Bunch, 25, a marketing manager from Charleston, South Carolina
- Gabriella “Gabi” Elnicki, 25, an account executive from Pittsford, Vermont
- Genevie Mayo, 26, a neonatal nurse from Baltimore City, Maryland
- Greer Blitzer, 24, a medical sales rep from Houston, Texas
- Jessica “Jess” Girod, 23, an e-commerce coordinator from Winter Springs, Florida
- Kaitlyn “Kaity” Biggar, 27, an ER nurse from Austin, Texas.
- Katherine Izzo, 26, a registered nurse from Tampa, Florida
- Kylee Russell, 25, a postpartum nurse from Charlotte, North Carolina
- Mercedes Northup, 24, a nonprofit owner from Bloomfield, Iowa
Here is what you need to know:
Zach Shallcross & Kaity Biggar Spend a Night in the Museum
Shallcross invites Kaity Biggar to a night in the museum for his first one-on-one date of the week. ABC teased that the duo will encounter “prehistoric creatures” during their date, with Reality Steve reporting that the duo camp out at the Museum of Natural History.
A preview of the date shows the pair donning matching animal print pajamas and sleeping in a tent.
In the clip, the 26-year-old asks Biggar, “Would you like to spend the night here with me?” She responds, “I like where I think this is heading.”
Biggar is a 27-year-old ER Nurse from Austin, Texas. She is “looking for her forever Prince Charming,” according to her ABC profile. Her bio adds that she “can’t wait to start a family and said that if a man didn’t want kids, that would be a dealbreaker for her.”
But back at the Bachelor Mansion, tensions appear to rise as the women realize Biggar is staying out all night.
“I think the hardest part is knowing how awesome she is, because I could truly see them together and that’s a tough pill to swallow,” a preview shows Gabi Elnicki admitting in a confessional.
The promo for this week’s episode shows Biggar returning to the mansion, still pajama-clad. One of her fellow contestants says in the preview, “Definitely looks like a walk of shame.”
As her return to the mansion would suggest, Biggar receives the date rose according to Reality Steve.
Zach Shallcross’ Contestants Take the Football Field for Bachelor Bowl V
Bachelor Nation fans do not have to wait for Sunday’s Super Bowl to catch the big game. In this week’s only group date, 15 of Shallcross’ contestants will take the football field for Bachelor Bowl V.
As host Jesse Palmer teased on Instagram, it will be “the most highly anticipated sporting event of the year.”
To get the women ready to compete, Shallcross has enlisted former NFL players Shawne Merriman and Antonio Gates of the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, according to the episode description. As teased on Instagram, ESPN’s Hannah Storm will join Palmer to announce the game.
In a video on Instagram, Gates explains to the women, “The winning team gets to go to the after party and get a shot at the rose and spend more time with Zach.”
The date will take place at Moorpark College, reported Reality Steve.
“I am so excited to have a group date here,” Shallcross says in a clip of the date. “I feel like the energy’s really high right now.”
The women were split into the yellow and blue teams. According to Reality Steve, they are divided as follows:
The Blue Team:
- Ariel Frenkel, 28, a marketing executive from New York City, New York
- Bailey Brown, 27, an executive recruiter from Nashville, Tennessee
- Brooklyn Willie, 25, a rodeo racer from Stillwater, Oklahoma
- Charity Lawson, 26, a child and family therapist from Columbus, Georgia
- Christina Mandrell, 26, a content creator from Nashville, Tennessee
- Katherine Izzo, 26, a registered nurse from Tampa, Florida
- Kylee Russell, 25, a postpartum nurse from Charlotte, North Carolina
The Yellow Team:
- Anastasia Keramidas, 30, a content marketing manager from San Diego, California
- Brianna Thorbourne, 24, an entrepreneur from Jersey City, New Jersey
- Davia Bunch, 25, a marketing manager from Charleston, South Carolina
- Gabriella “Gabi” Elnicki, 25, an account executive from Pittsford, Vermont
- Genevie Mayo, 26, a neonatal nurse from Baltimore City, Maryland
- Greer Blitzer, 24, a medical sales rep from Houston, Texas
- Jessica “Jess” Girod, 23, an e-commerce coordinator from Winter Springs, Florida
- Mercedes Northup, 24, a nonprofit owner from Bloomfield, Iowa
Zach Shallcross & Aly Jacobs Dive Into Their 1-on-1 Date
And oh lookie! A hot tub in the middle of a vineyard! No way!
Shallcross and Aly Jacobs are taking the leap, out of an airplane that is. In the second one-on-one date of the week, the duo go skydiving into Babcock Winery & Vineyards, reports Reality Steve.
In October 2022, the blogger took to Twitter with footage from the date. A classic of the franchise, Reality Steve revealed in a tweet that their date includes a hot tub in the vineyard.
Jacobs is a 26-year-old Healthcare Strategist from Atlanta, Georgia. “With a beautiful smile and a personality to match, Aly is a Southern sweetheart ready to find love,” according to her ABC profile. “Aly is a hopeless romantic and has even ended serious relationships because her exes weren’t ready for the real deal.”
She receives the date rose, reports Reality Steve.
Zach Shallcross’ Pool Party Does Not Go Swimmingly
Shallcross is hoping for some fun in the sun. As Palmer announces in a preview, “The Bachelorette” alum decides to forgo the formal cocktail party for a pool party at the Bachelor Mansion.
“Everyone looks like they’re having a great time,” he says in the clip.
But it looks like Shallcross spoke too soon. As “The Bachelor” Instagram account teased, “Pool parties aren’t always sunshine and good times for everyone.”
As the clip shows, Brianna Thorbourne is “emotional” over the other connections forming.
“I came into this genuinely feeling like everything was going to fall into place for Zach and I,” she admits poolside in the clip. “And that, unfortunately, hasn’t been my experience.”
In a preview of her confessional, the 24-year-old continues, “It’s confusing to me when I see that connections are being formed and kind of feel like I’m on my way out.”
Reality Steve reports that Thorbourne ends up self-eliminating because of potential “bullying,” with Christina Mandrell labeled as the “ring leader.”
“Christina was the one who I guess was sort of the instigator and telling Brianna that the first impression rose she got was from America (at the live ATFR), and not from Zach,” Reality Steve wrote on his blog. “It all escalated at the pool party and this is when Brianna ends up quitting.”
The preview for this week’s episode shows Thorbourne bringing her concerns to Shallcross. “Everyone is too scared to tell you. It makes it hard,” she tells him in the clip, seemingly referencing her issues with Mandrell.
The Bachelor seems to address his concerns directly with the content creator. In one clip, she tearfully tells him, “It would be a mistake to believe this.”
Mandrell is the woman seen crying on the steps in the preview. As Reality Steve reports, “She apparently drank quite a bit night one and, well, the rest of the time she was there. Her sleeping on the steps happens in episode 3 during the pool party.”
Gabi Elnicki Is Caught Reading ‘How to Win the Bachelor’
Is Gabi Elnicki on “The Bachelor” for the right reasons?
According to Reality Steve, the 25-year-old was caught reading “How to Win the Bachelor,” written by “Game of Roses” hosts Chad Kultgen and Lizzy Pace. Though, the blogger notes that it remains to be seen if her choice in reading material causes any problems.
“I don’t have any answers,” Reality Steve reported. “I don’t know if this is a big deal. I don’t know if the other women even cared. I don’t even know if it’s going to make air.” But, as the blogger adds, Elnicki is among Shallcross’ final three contestants.
The Final 14 Women Are Headed to the Bahamas
Seventeen women are narrowed down to just 14 by the end of the week, but according to Reality Steve, Shallcross only eliminates one contestant during the rose ceremony.
Before the roses are handed out, Thorbourne self-eliminates and Shallcross sends Bailey Brown home, Reality Steve reports. As the blogger explains, the Bachelor and Brown “didn’t have a connection.”
So, who is the lone woman sent packing after the rose ceremony? According to Reality Steve, Mandrell does not receive a rose.
“Her elimination a week after getting a rose I believe had to do with her behavior at the cocktail party,” Reality Steve wrote on his blog. “Heard she was acting erratic and might’ve been drinking too much.”
It is time for the remaining women to pack their bags, with Reality Steve revealing the group is headed to the Bahamas.
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