Fans of The Bachelorette are reacting to an interestingly timed teaser for the upcoming season of the long-running dating show.
In a new promo released by the network, a shadowy leading lady is seen wearing a white, one-shoulder gown while getting ready to go on camera. The screen then goes dark as the caption, “ The Bachelorette …Coming soon to Tuesdays on ABC” pops up onscreen.
The Bachelorette’s face can not be seen clearly in the promo, but it does appear to be originally announced star Clare Crawley, who at age 39 will be the show’s oldest star ever. A still photo from the teaser shows the mysterious leading lady sitting atop a pile of red roses, the franchise’s signature symbol.
In comments to the short clip, which can be seen on The Bachelorette’s official Instagram below, some viewers questioned the timing of the teaser amid buzz about a major casting shakeup.
“Weird timing for this promo lolz,” one follower wrote.
“This intro needs some updating lol,” another added.
“The Bachelorette(s),” a third chimed in.
“This is a total Hail Mary for production to try and put the Tayshia rumors to rest. Too little, too late,” another wrote.
Others noted that this might be the only time in history that host Chris Harrison is truly right that it will be “the most dramatic season” yet, and a few took issue with The Bachelorette’s time change to Tuesdays after more than a decade of ruling ABC’s Monday night lineup.
It’s no wonder Bachelorette fans are confused. The surprising ad was posted hours after it was announced that Clare has quit the show after quickly finding love with one of her suitors and she will be replaced by fan-favorite Tayshia Adams. ABC has not officially confirmed how the dual Bachelorette journey will play out, but an insider said Clare’s brief journey will “still be a part” of things, despite Tayshia taking over.
Longtime fans of the franchise know that this won’t be the first time there have been two Bachelorettes in one season.
In 2015, the 11 th outing for the female-led dating series kicked off with two leads: Kaitlyn Bristowe, a then 29-year-old dancer and spin instructor, and Britt Nilsson, a 28-year old waitress. Both women were castoffs from Chris Soules’ journey on The Bachelor and were put in the unprecedented situation of vying The Bachelorette title on camera. In the end, the suitors that year chose Kaitlyn as the official lead, and Britt was sent packing.
