ABC Matt James with several contestants during an episode of 'The Bachelor.'
Just a couple weeks after spoilers expert Reality Steve said that Katie Thurston was set to be the next lead of The Bachelorette, he now says there’s no chance that’s still the case.
“I just heard that everything just changed,” Reality Steve said on Instagram. “Like, it just doesn’t make any sense to make her The Bachelorette now and they’re in scramble mode. I’m 99 percent sure it’s happening in the U.S., but I don’t think they know who they want anymore. Because, frankly, how do you just roll out an 11th place, white girl on this show as your next Bachelorette?”
Thurston, 30, claimed she knew nothing about reports that she was set to take on that role, and host Chris Harrison said there was still “a large debate” about who it would be. But in the same interview, Harrison made controversial comments when he defended contestant Rachael Kirkconnell’s actions, which have been deemed by many — including even Kirkconnell — as racist.
After the interview sparked outrage from fans and former Bachelor Nation stars, Harrison announced he wouldn’t host the “After the Final Rose” special, leaving his future with the franchise in doubt.
With many questions surrounding the immediate future of the franchise, Reality Steve listed the three women who he says are the clear top choices to be the next Bachelorette.
“It seems like it’s Michelle [Young], Bri [Springs], or Abigail [Heringer], but I just don’t know what they’re thinking now,” Reality Steve said. “Behind the scenes, maybe they have someone from a previous season in mind. I don’t know who…there aren’t a lot of single women from the other seasons left.”
Later, Reality Steve floated Pieper James as a fourth candidate, and ruled out Serena Pitt as a possibility.
“I think Serena [Pitt] is gorgeous. I just don’t think they’re casting a 22-year old as The Bachelorette,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with Serena, I think she’s great. She’s smart; she’s beautiful. I just don’t see them casting a 22-year old. Maybe she’s 23 now, I don’t know, but it’s still young.”
Pitt turned 23 while the show was filming in October.
White Contestants Have Dominated Screen Time on ‘The Bachelor’
Despite leaving the show in episode three, Sarah Trott is the contestant who was on screen the most in the first seven episodes, according to Bachelor Data. She’s just ahead of Victoria Larson and Katie Thurston.
While nearly two-thirds of the 37-woman cast of season 25 of The Bachelor are people of color — as well as three of the final four women vying for Matt James’ heart — white contestants have dominated the camera time.
With race very much at the center of most conversations about The Bachelor franchise’s future, it makes sense that Reality Steve doubts ABC will want to pick Thurston to be their next lead. He’s even said that the amount of uncertainty around the show, leaves open the possibility that filming of the season will be delayed until after Bachelor in Paradise happens in the summer.
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