Since Chris Harrison announced his decision to temporarily step down as the Bachelor franchise’s host, fans have wondered who will be The Bachelorette 2021 host for Katie Thurston’s season. Well, let us re-introduce you to Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe.
ABC confirmed in March 2021 that Tayshia and Kaitlyn, who are both former Bachelorettes, will co-host the show’s next season. Season 17 of The Bachelorette will star Katie Thurston, a 30-year-old bank marketing manager who was eliminated in 10th place on season 25 of The Bachelor with Matt James. (Michelle Young, a 27-year-old teacher and the runner-up on Matt’s season, will also be the Bachelorette for season 18, but it’s unclear if Tayshia and Kaitlyn will also host her season.)
“Chris Harrison will not be hosting the next season of The Bachelorette,” ABC said in a statement at the time. “We support Chris in the work that he is committed to doing. In his absence, former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe will support the new Bachelorette through next season. As we continue the dialogue around achieving greater equity and inclusion within The Bachelor franchise, we are dedicated to improving the BIPOC representation of our crew, including among the executive producer ranks. These are important steps in effecting fundamental change so that our franchise is a celebration of love that is reflective of our world.”
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Tasyhia and Kaitlyn’s new gigs come after Harrison, who has hosted the Bachelor franchise since the premiere of The Bachelor in 2002, came under fire for his response to Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell’s racism scandal. Rachael, the winner of Matt’s season, faced backlash in February 2021 after photos resurfaced of her at an Old South Antebellum-themed party at Georgia College in 2018. Before the pictures went viral, Rachael was already under controversy after her former high school classmate accused her on TikTok of bullying her and other students for dating Black men. Other TikTok users then exposed Rachael for liking social media photos of her friends in culturally insensitive costumes and with Confederate flags.
Harrison came under fire after he was interviewed about the scandal by season 13 Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay on Extra. During the interview, Harrison asked fans to give Rachael “grace” and explained that he didn’t find the Antebellum party photos offensive because they just looked like pictures a college student takes at a party. Harrison also questioned whether the photos would be considered racially insensitive in 2018 when they were taken. After the interview, many fans slammed Harrison and accused him of excusing Rachael’s behavior.
In an Instagram post at the time, Harrison apologized for the interview and revealed that he decided not to host Matt’s “After the Final Rose” special. “The historic season of The Bachelor should not be marred or overshadowed by my mistakes or diminished by my actions. To that end, I have consulted with Warner Bros. and ABC and will be stepping aside for a period of time and will not join for the After the Final Rose special,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “I am dedicated to getting educated on a more profound and productive level than ever before.”
He continued, “I am dedicated to getting educated on a more profound and productive level than ever before. I want to ensure our cast and crew members, to my friends, colleagues and our fans: this is not just a moment, but a commitment to much greater understanding that I will actively make every day.”
So that’s how Tayshia and Kaitlyn became The Bachelorette 2021 hosts. Ahead is what they’ve said about hosting season 17 of The Bachelorette with Katie.
Tayshia Adams
Tayshia was the runner-up on season 24 of The Bachelor with Colton Underwood. She went on to star on season 6 of Bachelor in Paradise before she became the season 16 Bachelorette, replacing Clare Crawley who left in the middle of the season after she fell in love with her frontrunner, Dale Moss. At her final rose ceremony, Tayshia chose Zac Clark as her winner and the two got engaged.
Tayshia confirmed that she will co-host season 17 of The Bachelorette with Kaitlyn in an Instagram post in March 2021. “Trading in the crown and dress, but don’t stress…. so excited to spend another season with you all. See you on your television screen this summer! And you thought you could get rid of me
#thebachelorette,” she captioned the post.
The Bachelorette season 17 also isn’t the first time Tayshia will be a host. She’s the current host of the “Click Bait” podcast with Bachelor Nation members Joe Amabile and Natasha Parker. She’s also guest hosted on Entertainment Tonight.
Kaitlyn Bristowe
Kaitlyn made her Bachelor Nation debut on season season 19 of The Bachelor with Chris Soules, where she was eliminated in third place. She went on to star as the lead of season 11 of The Bachelorette. At her final rose ceremony, Kaitlyn chose Shawn Booth as her winner and the two got engaged. After three years together, Kaitlyn and Shawn announced their split in November 2018. Kaitlyn is currently dating Jason Tartick, who was the second runner-up on season 14 of The Bachelorette with Becca Kufrin.
Kaitlyn confirmed that she will co-host The Bachelorette season 17 with Tayshia in an Instagram post in March 2021. The post was a black-and-white video of her and Tayshia dancing, which she captioned with: “Let’s go girls….. @tayshia.”
As for hosting experience, Kaitlyn has hosted her own podcast, “Off the Vine With Kaitlyn Bristowe,” since May 2017.
The Bachelorette is available to stream on Hulu.
Image: Courtesy of Penguin Books.
Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman
Buy: ‘Bachelor Nation’ by Amy Kaufman $13.89
To get more of an inside scoop, check out Los Angeles Times writer Amy Kaufman’s book, Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure, for a deep dive into the Bachelor franchise. The book uncovers the secrets of Bachelor Nation, from how much the Bachelor and the Bachelorette are paid to the rules contestants have to follow, that producers don’t want fans to know. It’s a must-read for any Bachelor Nation member.
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