ABC Gabi Elnicki faces Zach Shallcross during "The Bachelor" finale.
During the season 27 finale of “The Bachelor,” Zach Shallcross proposed to Kaity Biggar and eliminated Gabi Elnicki at the final rose ceremony. They faced one another for the first time since filming ended during the live “After the Final Rose” reunion, and it was clearly a challenging experience for Elnicki. Luckily, the heartbroken “Bachelor” contestant immediately started receiving a lot of love and support via social media, including from some former contestants.
Rachel Recchia Gushed Over Gabi the ‘Queen’
As Elnicki faced Shallcross on stage after her final rose ceremony heartbreak aired, supporters took to Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit to sing her praises. Former “Bachelorette” Rachel Recchia was one of them, tweeting, “showing emotion like this takes so much vulnerability, gabi you are a queen!” Quite a few people agreed with Recchia and added similar thoughts of their own. “Vulnerability AND strength. Not many have those two qualities and sit in front of a live audience, and millions watching on TV, and express ourselves like that,” noted one Twitter user.
“I’ll say it. This was one of the worst handled situations in bachelor history. Every single girl in that top three was f***ked over by the way this was handled. ESPECIALLY Gabi. Like this is so painful to watch,” suggested someone else on Twitter. When another “Bachelor” fan suggested Clayton Echard’s season was worse toward the end, the original poster replied, “no [for real] this was so violating like I feel like I shouldn’t be watching.”
me trying to hug gabi through my television #TheBachelor
On Reddit, one “Bachelor” fan had positive things to say about Shallcross and Biggar, but admitted, “I’m having trouble feeling anything except sadness for Gabi.” The Redditor added, “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this bad for a F2 before – you can just tell it was very real and raw for her.”
“So gross! I’m absolutely disgusted by the way Zach and all of bachelor nation treated Gabbi. She deserves so much better,” declared an Instagram user on “The Bachelor” page.
Some ‘Bachelor’ Fans Suggested Elnicki Was Better off Now
In addition to a lot of posts praising Elnicki, quite a few social media users suggested she was better off not receiving the final rose. Several also noted they wished she could have been “The Bachelorette.” As “The Bachelor” fans know, Charity Lawson was announced as the next “Bachelorette” lead on March 15, and filming has already started. Even so, the idea of giving Elnicki a shot too popped up online as “The Bachelor” finale aired. In fact, former “Bachelorette” star Jason Tartick suggested it himself. “Go back to back to back Bachelorettes, Charity to Gabby to Ariel…put the guys on the back burner,” Tartick tweeted.
“Yes. One solid year of women rocking it would be fantastic,” concurred a fan.
“I was really hoping they would give Gabi a bachelorette season after tonight’s episode,” noted someone on Reddit.
“Did we jump the gun on casting the new #TheBachelorette so quick? Gabi is easy to root for and now has a heartbreak story that America is investing in,” suggested a viewer on Twitter.
“I know it doesn’t feel like it [now] Gabi but you DODGED A BULLET… You are a light, you are beautiful inside and out, and I can’t wait to see you flourish in all the love that’s on its way to you,” read a comment on Elnicki’s Instagram page.
Another Twitter user shared a similar sentiment. “Gabi you’re not unlovable you’re beautiful and you dodged a bullet honestly!!!!!! My heart is so sad for u!!!!!”
Will Elnicki consider doing “Bachelor in Paradise” next, or will she step away from the franchise for now? “The Bachelor” fans had lots to say with Shallcross’ finale, and many will be curious to see how his engagement to Biggar progresses.