Katie Thurston will reportedly be the star of The Bachelorette's upcoming seventeenth season despite not even making it to hometown dates on Matt James' season of The Bachelor.
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Katie is 30 years old and from Lynnwood, WA.
Katie immediately stood out from Matt's cast of bachelorettes with her raunchy humor and self-confidence, and Matt seemed to appreciate how Katie is unapologetically herself and wasn't afraid to stand up to the "mean girls" or bullies at the Pennsylvania resort.
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Katie was announced as the next The Bachelorette star during the March 5 taping of The Bachelor: After the Final Rose. Her season will begin filming this coming weekend and premiere on ABC this spring.
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(Michelle Young will also reportedly star as the Bachelorette when the series airs an additional season this year in this fall).
According to Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone, Season 17 of The Bachelorette will take place at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.
Due to Chris Harrison "stepping aside" as The Bachelor franchise host for "a period of time" amid his racism controversy, the new season will feature former The Bachelorette stars Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams supporting and guiding Katie through her journey to find love.
Matt told Katie that she wasn't The One for him during her first one-on-one date, but Katie will have her own group of suitors to choose from when she becomes the person to hand out roses.
Until The Bachelorette premieres in the spring, let's get to know Katie a little better and learn some things about her.
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Below is a list of ten facts Reality TV World has compiled about Katie Thurston.
Katie Thurston isn't defined by her day job
Katie works as a bank marketing manager, but her life is far from ordinary!Katie believes herself to be a witty storyteller as well as the most loving and committed partner a person could find.
Katie considers herself to be daring and adventurous.
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Katie didn't care if her vibrator got her sent home on Night 1 on The Bachelor
Although The Bachelor is a family show to some extent, Katie apparently never second-guessed her decision to introduce Matt to her vibrator during her limo entrance."[My vibrator entrance] actually summarized me perfectly. Our time is so short so I could do nothing but be myself. I knew Matt is religious and I [didn't] know him personally, so I knew it could send me home Night 1 -- but I would have no regrets," Katie shared with The Bachelorette alums Rachel Lindsay and Becca Kufrin on their Bachelor Happy Hour podcast.
"It really summarizes who I am as a person, my sense of humor, my confidence, my sexual empowerment for females, and I didn't know what to expect when I did my little stunt."
Katie added, "But he laughed and so I just felt, like, this huge weight lifted off of me after that. If you guys saw his laugh, it was the biggest, most genuine laugh. And I was like, 'Alright!'"
The Bachelor bachelorette has a huge social-media and online presence
Not only does Katie have over 260,000 followers on Instagram, but she has amassed over 260,000 followers on TikTok with her "adult humor" and "comedic entertainment" videos.ADVERTISEMENT
Some of Katie's videos feature her joking about d-ck pics and sharing her insight on sexting.
Longtime The Bachelor host Chris Harrison says Katie is super bold
When announcing Matt's cast of bachelorettes in a Facebook Live video earlier this year, Chris teased of Katie, "I don't know if we've ever had a woman quite like Katie.""Resident [The Bachelor] Super Fan of the season, Katie makes her presence known... She shows an emotional side too and is super invested in Matt," Chris shared.
"This girl knows everything that's going on all the time with the show. She's the one that would tell me what I'm supposed to be doing at the time."
Chris admitted Katie's knowledge of the show was "helpful" with Matt -- who "had no idea what was happening" -- since Matt had never appeared on The Bachelorette prior to taking on the leading role for Season 25.
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Katie took a big risk choosing to share risque content with her followers
Right before Katie turned 30 years old, she took to Instagram on January 2 to reflect on how she's arrived at this bold stage of her life in which she's exposing her somewhat raunchy humor to the world."Life really does pass by quickly. If I died tomorrow, I wouldn't be happy with what I've accomplished. I followed 'the rules' of life. Get the career. Save the money. Start that 401k. Buy the house. And for what? An entire decade to pass without feeling fulfilled?" Katie shared.
"This past year, I finally unapologetically loved who I am. I lost people along the way. And that's ok. We aren't meant to please everyone. What I do know is life is too short to feel unfulfilled. So what fills your heart? What makes you happy? I've enjoyed making people laugh this summer during what felt like a dark time for so many."
Katie continued, "I've enjoyed learning from my diverse community and hearing their stories. You all have taught me so much! I don't know what the future holds for me but I'm excited to bring you all along for the ride! I will passionately pursue a fulfilled life and refuse to let this next decade pass by without purpose."
Katie says she knows exactly what she wants in a partner
Katie insists she's done wasting her time on boys who won't live up to her expectations.ADVERTISEMENT
Katie just wants to find a man worth committing to -- a mature and passionate guy with ambition, both personally and professionally, with whom she can laugh and build a long-term future. Katie also wants to be treated like an equal in her relationship.
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The Bachelor bachelorette doesn't want to date a gamer
Katie can't stand it when a man sits around and plays video games all day.She also doesn't appreciate a guy trying to kiss her at the inopportune moment. Katie wants a guy to create the right vibe before making a move.
Katie initially thought she may be too old to be on The Bachelor
Katie simply applied to be on Matt's season of The Bachelor and was not nominated.Katie shared on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, "It's so funny because I joke with my friends, like, I'm not the target version of a contestant because, like, there are so many beautiful women, there are supermodels who are on this show."
"And in The Bachelor world, I am considered 'older.' And so, when I was cast, I was actually pretty shocked. I was kind of in denial, even getting ready for it."
On why she believes producers selected her, Katie explained, "I was just my 100 percent self and I guess they found that pretty refreshing. I had no filter; I didn't hide anything... I was like, 'Let's go with it!'"
Katie said going on The Bachelor during the coronavirus pandemic was "the perfect opportunity to date somebody."
"I've been locked up and online dating sucks! It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet someone like Matt," Katie added. "And I went with it."
Katie attempts to make the most out of life
Katie's idea of a fun date would be going skinny-dipping.The bachelorette would love to host her own talk show one day.
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And Katie once planned a dog flash mob that got a huge turnout.
The Bachelor process was apparently "the hardest thing" Katie has ever done
After watching her The Bachelor experience back for the first time on The Women Tell All special, Katie's eyes welled up with tears."Going through this was the hardest thing I've ever done, and what kept me going was Matt and our connection," Katie shared.
Katie said she was convinced Matt was going to meet her family but she wasn't paying attention to how far along Matt's relationships with other women had progressed.
Katie told Chris that she finally embraced who she is and was 110 percent herself on the show with Matt. Katie admitted to hiding parts of her personality or changing herself to fit a man's needs in the past.
Katie didn't feel time was on her side on The Bachelor, but she insisted she'll never stop pursuing love.
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Katie said she is "the prime version" of herself right now and totally confident in what she brings to the table. Katie said she's ready to meet her "person" and she just hopes he's still out there for her.
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