‘The Bachelor’ 2023 Spoilers for Episode 5

Charity Lawson on The Bachelor

YouTube/Bachelor Nation Charity Lawson on "The Bachelor."

Zach Shallcross continues his journey for love, with “The Bachelor” taking off to a new country. But an unexpected roadblock leaves the 26-year-old declaring in the preview, “This week was robbed.”

WARNING: STOP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS FOR SEASON 27 OF “THE BACHELOR.”

In the last episode, the contestants were whittled down to just 11 remaining women. Shallcross said goodbye to Anastasia Keramidas after her motivations for being on the show were called into question. During the rose ceremony, he also sent home Davia Bunch and Genevie Mayo.

The women still vying for his heart are:

  • Aly Jacobs, 26, a healthcare strategist from Atlanta, Georgia
  • Ariel Frenkel, 28, a marketing executive from New York City, New York
  • Brooklyn Willie, 25, a rodeo racer from Stillwater, Oklahoma
  • Charity Lawson, 26, a child and family therapist from Columbus, Georgia
  • Gabriella “Gabi” Elnicki, 25, an account executive from Pittsford, Vermont
  • 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

Where is “The Bachelor” headed? What derails the week? Who receives a rose? Here is what you need to know:


Zach Shallcross & His Contestants Travel to London

“The Bachelor” is headed across the pond.

Shallcross and his final 11 women bid farewell to the Bahamas and head to England “for another week of adventure in the name of love,” ABC teased in the episode description.

In the preview, the women go sightseeing, trying to get a reaction from a member of The King’s Guard and squeezing into a telephone booth.

“This is the perfect place to fall in love,” Shallcross said in the clip. He added, “Nothing’s going to stop us from having such an amazing week.”

But it seems Shallcross may have spoken too soon.


Gabi Elnicki Joins Zach Shallcross on ‘a Date Fit for a Queen’

Gabi Elnicki and Zach Shallcross

YouTube/Bachelor NationGabi Elnicki and Zach Shallcross dance during a one-on-one date on “The Bachelor.”

Shallcross invites Gabi Elnicki on the first, and what ends up being only, one-on-one date of the week.

“First up, a date fit for a queen when one lucky woman gets the complete royal treatment with guest appearances from stylist Rachel Fanconi and Royal Butler Grant Harrold, and a performance from UB40,” ABC announced in a press release.

As the week’s preview teased, the duo will play with corgis and end the night portion dancing to an intimate musical performance.

Elnicki is a 25-year-old account executive from Pittsford, Vermont.

“She comes from a very loving family, and her parents’ marriage has been the blueprint for the kind of love she hopes to find. Gabi wants an honest, outdoorsy man who will always put her first,” according to her ABC profile. “While it may take a little time for Gabi to come out of her shell, once she does, Zach will learn that she’s adventurous, loyal and driven.”

Reality Steve reported that Elnicki receives the date rose.


Mercedes Northup ‘Hyperventilates’ After Not Being Chosen for a 1-on-1 Date

Mercedes Northup’s hopes for a one-on-one date get squashed in an Instagram sneak peek of the episode. In the clip, she leaves the room after her name is read on a group date card.

“Sorry, I’m going to hyperventilate. I literally can’t,” she tearfully said in the clip as she got off the couch. Kylee Russell is seen in the clip comforting her in the hallway.

Charity Lawson breaks down Northup’s reaction in a confessional.

“Mercedes is having a moment right now,” she explained in the clip. “She is reacting pretty heavily to her not getting the one-on-one date. I feel for her, I just wasn’t expecting it to be this hard for her.”

After drying her tears, Northup explained in a confessional that, “Half the girls who are going on the group date have had a one-on-one so they do have that connection. It’s just such a horrible feeling.”


COVID-19 Derails Zach Shallcross’ Remaining Dates

The remaining dates for the week were sidelined after Shallcross contracted COVID-19, Reality Steve revealed on his blog.

ABC hinted at a major disruption in the episode description. “Later, a group date intended to take Zach and the women across the city goes awry when a mysterious knock at the door leads to Bachelor history being changed forever,” according to a press release.

The history-making knock can be seen in the preview. In the clip, Jesse Palmer arrives at the women’s suite to announce, “Unfortunately, I’ve got some really bad news.”

Reality Steve was unclear whether anyone else on “The Bachelor” tested positive for the coronavirus. As he wrote on his blog, “I assume he was making out with Gabi on their date the day before he tested positive, so, maybe she got it too. I’m not sure.”

Though he revealed on his blog that next week Shallcross “immediately” has a one-on-one date, “so it doesn’t look like COVID knocked him out too long.”


Zach Shallcross Hands out Roses via Zoom

Despite only going on one date this week, Shallcross was still tasked with handing out roses. “With the journey ahead now unclear, Zach is tasked with difficult decisions in unforeseen circumstances where anything can happen,” the episode description teased.

Reality Steve reported that in a Bachelor Nation first, the rose ceremony was hosted virtually over Zoom. The blogger revealed the eliminated contestants were:

  • Kylee Russell, 25, a postpartum nurse from Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Mercedes Northup, 24, a nonprofit owner from Bloomfield, Iowa

Discussing Northup, the blogger wrote, “Apparently she got food poisoning there. Now, I don’t know if that was the reason she was eliminated in London. I just know that’s when she’s sent home and she happened to get food poisoning while she was there.”

The remaining nine women head off to Estonia in episode 6.

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