Weeks of waiting finally came to an end as the next lead of The Bachelorette was announced during The Bachelor's After the Final Rose special. More specifically, two new Bachelorettes were announced. Michelle Young and Katie Thurston told the audience in unison that they were both the Bachelorettes. While this left fans very excited, there was some confusion surrounding the logistics of this decision. Here are all the details of how the double Bachelorette seasons will go down.
Emmanuel Acho, who was filling in for Chris Harrison after his racially insensitive remarks, led the After the Final Rose episode through tough but necessary conversations. While Matt and Rachael's relationship status took up most of the night, the last three minutes were dedicated to the announcement of the future Bachelorette. For the unspoiled viewers, it was a big surprise to hear Katie and Michelle simultaneously announce they would both be the Bachelorettes. Acho didn't give a whole lot of background information, but luckily the king of spoilers, Reality Steve, filled in the gaps.
Reality Steve explained the main reason for having two Bachelorettes. The producers originally chose Katie Thurston as the sole Bachelorette (possibly because Michelle originally declined their invitation). But when race became the forefront topic of this season, producers started to doubt their decision. As a teacher, Michelle didn't want to leave her students to film another long season, so the producers found a solution. By filming her season over the summer when her students will be on summer break, Michelle will be able to continue teaching. Katie will then have her own season, which will follow the regular Bachelorette schedule.
Usually, The Bachelorette premieres in May, Bachelor in Paradise airs during the summer, and Bachelor fans have a long dry spell while they wait for The Bachelor to premiere in January. Now, there is no off-season for The Bachelor! Katie's season will premiere early in the summer as usual, and Reality Steve promises Bachelor in Paradise will still air late in the summer. Then, Michelle's season will air in the fall. In fact, Katie's season of The Bachelorette is set to begin filming this weekend, March 20, and Reality Steve says the contestants for her season should be revealed soon. In fact, he has already showcased a few of the men.
Katie's season will be hosted by Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams as Chris Harrison continues his hiatus. It's unclear who will host Michelle's season. Katie and Michelle were both extremely beloved by Bachelor fans, and now there is much rejoicing at the news that both women will have a shot to find love on their very own season. Katie will shine as a sex-positive, funny, and mature Bachelorette, and Michelle will win new fans over as a poised, caring, and down-to-earth Bachelorette. Plus, it means double the drama from the male contestants, who will surely be determined to fight for each of these awesome ladies. There really is no downside to double Bachelorettes.