If they have to fight over one man again, so help me...
Bachelor Nation emerged from Season 26 of The Bachelor with not just one, but two new Bachelorettes. In Season 19 of The Bachelorette, Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia are going to share the title and all the responsibilities that come with it — along with the hope that they’ll both find lasting love by the end of the season. But having two Bachelorettes is an unprecedented move, and it’s one that has fans questioning how Gabby and Rachel’s Bachelorette season will even work.
Gabby and Rachel spent The Bachelor Season 19 going after the same guy (Clayton Echard, in case you somehow missed that) and now fans are concerned they might end up competing with each other. If you recall, Season 11 of The Bachelorette also began with two Bachelorettes (Kaitlyn Bristowe and Britt Nilsson), but that season began with the contestants voting to select which one of the women they wanted to date, and which would leave the show. However, The Bachelorette creator Mike Fleiss has already promised fans that Season 19 of the show will not “pit” Gabby and Rachel against each other.
“After unwaveringly supporting each other through a devastating dual breakup in the season 26 finale of The Bachelor, fan-favorites and fierce women Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia will stand by each other's side yet again as they set out on a journey to find love," ABC described in a press release.
It certainly sounds promising, so that just leaves the question: How will Season 19 of The Bachelorette actually work? Here are a few theories.
Gabby & Rachel Will Have Separate Casts
The cleanest way to do this would be if there were basically two concurrent Bachelorette seasons, each with their own casts. Maybe Gabby and Rachel will each date their casts separately and then reconvene for brunch to talk over their respective options — and possibly swap some men between their casts?
Gabby & Rachel Will Share 1 Cast, & Hand Out Roses Together
It seems more likely that Gabby and Rachel will date from the same pool of guys, although the cast will probably need to be larger than the usually 30-ish contestants. With this scenario, maybe Gabby and Rachel will stand together during limo entrances and share one rose ceremony, communicating with each other about who they’re most interested in. However, if they fall in love with the same guy (which I’m sure production is hoping for), it’s going to be a hot mess.
Production Will Bring In More Men Mid-Season
More Bachelorettes should mean more men, right? Even if the season doesn’t start off with a larger cast, there’s a good chance producers will add more men in the middle of the season. It’s a move they’ve done many times before, when there was just one person in the lead role, so it makes sense that they’d do it for more than one lead.
Fans Will Get To See Lots Of Double Dates
We’ve seen group dates, one-on-one dates, and even two-on-one dates plenty of times before in the Bachelor franchise. But two Bachelorettes means we might get to see *double dates* in this upcoming season. Part of the reason it’s so exciting to see Gabby and Rachel both be the Bachelorette is that it was so fun to watch their friendship unfold on The Bachelor. A few double dates this season would give audiences the chance to see Gabby and Rachel hang out as friends, while also each dating their respective guys. It’s a win-win situation!
Season 19 of The Bachelorette will premiere Monday, July 11, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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