ABC Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia star on season 19 of "The Bachelorette."
“The Bachelorette” spoilers for the remainder of Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey’s season contain some surprises. Episode 6 airs Monday night, and next up after that are the hometown dates. Plenty of theories regarding the rest of the season have swirled for months, and until recently, even spoiler king Reality Steve did not know for certain how Windey and Recchia’s journeys would end. Now, however, he has broken down teasers for the biggest developments ahead and one unusual tidbit will surely have viewers talking.
Here’s what you need to know:
Windey’s Hometown Dates Have Been a Bit Mysterious
Heading into episode 6 of “The Bachelorette,” Windey has six men remaining and Recchia has five. By the end of the episode, both “Bachelorette” stars will have chosen their hometown date recipients. Those hometowns will be the focus of episode 7, airing on August 22, and there will be one very unique component incorporated. Apparently, Windey will only have three hometowns, instead of the typical four.
In an August 11 blog post, Reality Steve detailed this surprising development. “One thing I hadn’t figured out all season was who was Gabby’s 4th hometown date.” He previously pinpointed Jason Alabaster, Johnny DePhillipo, and Erich Schwer as men who introduced Windey to their families. However, he could never confirm which “Bachelorette” suitor received the fourth hometown. Recchia had four, but apparently, Windey did not.
“Well, as many of you suggested, you were right,” Reality Steve detailed, referencing “Bachelorette” fans who speculated there was no fourth hometown for Windey. “She didn’t have one. Only Johnny, Jason, and Erich get hometowns with Gabby,” he added. Why would that be? It would seem she had the opportunity to do four, but things did not go as planned.
Episode 6 Departures May Have Thrown a Wrench in Windey’s Plans
According to “The Bachelorette” spoilers from Reality Steve, Windey has a one-on-one date with Nate Mitchell during episode 6. Although he had been a clear frontrunner from early on this season, he will reportedly not get a hometown date. Instead, spoilers signal Windey will get quite emotional with Mitchell as she tries to envision life with him in the real world. It appears she worries she is not ready to step into a situation where her beau already has a child, and she eliminates Mitchell.
As Reality Steve noted, “that leaves Spencer and Logan” as possible recipients for the fourth hometown of Windey’s. He added, however, that he knew neither Spencer Swies nor Logan Palmer got hometown dates. “I don’t know what happens to Logan that gets him eliminated. I just know he doesn’t get a hometown and Gabby only had 3,” the spoiler blogger detailed.
Since that post, Reality Steve learned Palmer tested positive for COVID at that stage of filming. Due to that, he was eliminated. Did Windey plan for Palmer to have a hometown? It seems that may have been the case. Once Windey learned Palmer had to leave, it sounds as if she also decided her connection with Swies simply wasn’t strong enough for her to do a hometown date with him.
Having only three hometowns is an incredibly unusual move for the franchise. Clare Crawley never made it to hometowns, as “The Bachelorette” fans know, as she chose Dale Moss less than two weeks into filming. Then, during Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season, the typical schedule changed around a bit. As Us Weekly recapped, Bristowe had three overnight Fantasy Suite dates before meeting anybody’s families. She went from six men to three in one fell swoop, and then only met the families of her final two men.
“The Bachelorette” viewers will see Windey navigate this unusual obstacle during the August 15 show and spoilers signal plenty of tears and heartbreak ahead.