A new season of The Bachelorette is set to begin next week.
And then? Not long afterward?
Yet another new season of The Bachelorette is set to begin... in an unexpected matter of speaking!
As you very likely know by now, Clare Crawley was chosen as this year's lead star back in March.
But a funny thing then allegedly happened on her way to the final rose ceremony: She never made it that far!
According to an endless array of The Bachelorette spoilers and scoops, Clare only lasts four episodes this fall before she and producers agree that she might as well pack it in and go home.
Why?
Because she falls totally in love with a suitor named Dale Moss and both sides agree there's just no point in continuing her search for a husband afterward.
How sweet, right?
And also how unprecedented.
In response to Crawley peacing out long before the scheduled finale, executives swapped Clare out for Tayshia Adams just weeks into filming, meaning this beloved Bachelor Nation resident will actually finish the season as The Bachelorette.
Who might Adams end up with when the dust settles, the flowers are handed out and Chris Harrison has teased the most dramatic rose ceremony in series history?
Thanks to program guru Reality Steve, we can now narrow down the list of options.
In Steve's latest spoiler-filled column, he explains that Crawley sends seven contestants home on her first night in the mansion and then seven more home before her time comes to an end.
Of those who appeared on the premiere, the following men remain when Tayshia swoops in to go on dates:
- Chasen Nick
- Joe Park
- Ivan Hall
- Blake Moynes
- Ed Waisbrot
- Demar Jackson
- Brendan Morais
- Kenny Braasch
- Jason Foster
- Tyler Cottrill
- Ben Smith
- Jay Smith
- Eazy
- Zac Clark
- Riley Christian
- Bennett Jordan
Following along so far? Okay, good...
The show then brings in four new men, who never met Clare during her brief run as The Bachelorette, to quarantine for two weeks and bring Tayshia's total number of suitors up to an even 20.
They are:
- Spencer Robertson (who receives her first impression rose)
- Montel Hill
- Peter Giannikopoulos
- Noah Erb
We don't know much about these newbies because ABC has not released their bios -- heck, ABC has not yet even confirmed the Clare-to-Tayshia-switch.
We all know it's coming, however.
And Steve says he's "almost positive" that Adams' final four will be: Ben Smith, Zac Clark, Brendan Morais and Ivan Hall.
Upon publishing this reveal, the reality show expert was quick to emphasize that almost everything about this season will be a drastic chance from the past.
"I say almost positive because things were done so differently this season," Steve writes.
"I’m hearing guys outside of final 4 had family/friends brought into the bubble to meet Tayshia, but I’ve been unable to confirm that."
So many questions remain, but so many questions will soon be answered as well.
The Bachelorette returns with new episodes on Tuesday, October 13 at 8/7c.
We. Cannot. Wait.
