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Nate Mitchell started out as a fan favorite on season 19 of “The Bachelorette.” The single father’s charm and sensitivity captured the hearts of many viewers, who were crushed when co-Bachelorette, Gabby Windey sent him home. The ICU nurse admitted on their one-on-one date that she did not think she was ready to be a mother, and that she didn’t want to string Mitchell along.
The Scandal that Rocked Bachelor Nation
Many fans were rooting for Mitchell to be the next Bachelor, and it seemed as if Bachelor creator, Mike Fleiss, was totally on board, according to Monsters & Critics.
However, news leaked by Reality Steve on August 9, turned the tables. According to the blogger/podcaster, two women from Mitchell’s past came forward and made some pretty damaging accusations against him.
The first was Kelsey Fankhauser, who claims she dated Mitchell for a year and a half, and he never once mentioned to her that he had a child.
The second woman to come forward was Laree Starke, who alleges that she was dating Mitchell during the same time that he was seeing Fankhauser, however neither of the women knew about each other. Starke was a contestant on America’s Next Top Model in Cycle 16.
Both women have painted Mitchell in a negative light, which has turned many fans against him. This has caused Fleiss to try to defend Mitchell publicly, which many assume means he had intended to make Mitchell the next Bachelor, and that he is upset now that those plans are being ruined, reports Monsters & Critics.
Shortly after Reality Steve released the information from Fankhauser and Starke, Fleiss tweeted, “Don’t jump to conclusions about certain cast members based on mere allegations, as disturbing as they may be. I beg you to wait until all the facts come out before making any judgments. #TheBachelorette.” Although Fleiss did not specifically mention Mitchell’s name, it wasn’t hard for fans to figure out to whom he was referring.
Many Bachelor Nation fans were not having it. One viewer responded, “Sounds like damage control for a cast member who is absolutely guilty.” Another commented to Fleiss, “Sounds like you were ready to make him the bachelor and now you can’t with all that has come out about him.”
Fans Plan to Boycott the Show if Mitchell is Chosen
According to Screen Rant, “Fans of The Bachelor threaten to stop supporting the show if Nate Mitchell becomes the new lead. They are not impressed by his past behavior.”
Although some fans continue to defend Mitchell, many are vowing not to watch “The Bachelor” next season if he is named the lead. One Reddit user posted, “I’m not watching. I’ve heard things about Nate that weren’t nice. It would be a good time to take a break.” Another commented, “This show has shown time and time again they do not know how to handle a black lead. Like the show is defending Nate now but wait till the going really gets tough, he’ll see. It just won’t be a fun experience with the manufactured drama the show will try to overproduce and they may try and make a racism a story line and I just don’t need that energy from a show that’s my guilty pleasure. Plus Nate is so not likeable.”
Another viewer wrote, “I’ll skip as well if it’s Nate… I’d love for them to pick Ethan instead but feel the writing is on the wall.” The poster is referring to Ethan Kang, who has been campaigning to be the first Asian Bachelor.
A Facebook user posted, “Let’s hold him accountable for Gods sake , he should not be a lead !!” One fan raised the stakes by posting, “I see your Nate, and I raise you that I’m not watching next season if ANYONE from this season is the Bachelor. I want an age appropriate man from the archives (32 +).”
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