There were a lot of breakups and tons of controversy in The Bachelor franchise in 2021, but there were some alum who surpassed all others in terms of polarizing fans. The franchise’s fandom can be ruthless, and these are the Bachelor Nation cast members who were most divisive over the past year.
The year 2021 might go down in Bachelor Nation history as the most dramatic year ever because of how much drama and messiness went down just about every month. Many fans weren’t sure if the franchise would survive, but despite the slip-ups, scandals, and heartbreak, Bachelor Nation has continued on.
Katie Thurston
The recent lead of The Bachelorette had a very tumultuous season that many fans ultimately feel was pointless. Katie’s engagement to Blake Moynes didn’t last very long, and almost immediately after their breakup, Katie started dating week 2 eliminated contestant John Hersey. Many fans suspect Blake was a victim, but John says Katie never cheated, emotionally or physically. However, Katie seems to thrive on the drama and claims she doesn’t let the criticism phase her.
Brendan Morais
Brendan was a beloved self-eliminated contestant from Tayshia Adams’ season of The Bachelorette, and when he was revealed as part of this year’s Bachelor in Paradise cast, fans had high hopes for the returning cast member. But Brendan went on the show with an agenda to boost his influencer status and was already dating Pieper James. Brendan was blasted by fans (and his castmates) for going on the show when he already had a girlfriend, and he ultimately lost over 200,000 followers.
Rachael Kirkconnell
A frontrunner on Matt James’ season of The Bachelorette, Rachael stirred up a huge controversy in Bachelor Nation when photos of her at a racist “Old South”-themed ball surfaced online. Fans were furious and Matt was disappointed in Rachael after finding out. Though the couple left the show together, they were broken up on After the Final Rose. However, Matt and Rachael eventually reunited and now appear to be a stronger couple than ever. Many fans haven’t forgotten the racially-insensitive actions in Rachael’s past, but Matt has clearly forgiven her.
Taylor Nolan
At the start of the year, Taylor of Nick Viall’s season of The Bachelor was seen as one of the woke leaders of the franchise. She advocated for diversity, acceptance, and progressive thinking, so fans were horrified when a flood of hateful tweets from her past emerged. Her Twitter activity from years ago was highly offensive and not defensible in any way, and her apology did nothing to keep fans from savagely dragging her online. Now, Taylor has become a pariah in Bachelor Nation and probably won’t be heard from much anymore.
Colton Underwood
Former Bachelor Colton came out as gay earlier this year, and it would have been more celebrated if not for his problematic past. Colton left his season in a relationship with Cassie Randolph, but after they broke up, he became toxic. He stalked Cassie and placed a tracking device on her car, forcing Cassie to file a restraining order against him. Colton is the star of a new Netflix show about his journey, and many fans are still upset that he has been given a platform after the way he treated Cassie.
It’s been a difficult year for The Bachelor franchise, and a lot of viewers weren’t sure what was going to happen to the show and its spin-offs. The scandals and controversies caused by these cast members rocked Bachelor Nation, and it’s safe to say they all had a very rough year.