Katie Thurston was reportedly officially announced as The Bachelorette's next star when the After the Final Rose special for Matt James' season of The Bachelor was filmed on Friday.
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Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone subsequently claimed ABC changed its casting direction in the wake of The Bachelor host Chris Harrison and Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell's racism controversy -- only to reveal last week producers settled back on their initial choice and ABC would be confirming Katie as the Bachelorette "in the coming days."
"(SPOILER): What I posted last week is now 'official.' Katie Thurston was named the 'Bachelorette' at this past Friday's ATFR taping. For real this time," Carbone tweeted on Monday, referring to The Bachelor: After the Final Rose taping for Matt James' season.
However, Carbone wrote in a Tuesday blog post of The Bachelorette's 2021 season, "There is some sort of twist to it."
Unfortunately, the spoiler blogger currently has no idea what that twist entails.
"A lot of people are thinking we're gonna have double Bachelorettes again. I don't think that's it. Or that somehow Katie sat in a hotel all last week quarantining, gave up her phone, only to get on stage and turn down the Bachelorette gig so a BIPOC contestant could have it. That's not it either," Carbone wrote.
"I don't know what the twist is to the season, but I don't believe based on things I've heard that it's either of those."
Carbone went on to reiterate that Katie will in fact star as the Bachelorette but "there's something added on to it."
"Hopefully I'll find out before next Monday. If not, we'll all find out together on the ATFR," Carbone explained.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
Carbone previously reported The Bachelorette's seventeenth season will begin filming later this month at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWIt remains unclear, however, who will host The Bachelorette considering Chris "stepped aside" for "a period of time" after disappointing and angering many The Bachelor fans in his early-February Extra interview with Season 13 The Bachelorette star Rachel Lindsay.
Chris had dismissed backlash against Rachael's racist actions -- such as being photographed at an "Old South" Antebellum-themed fraternity party at her Georgia college in 2018 -- and defended the bachelorette by asking for "grace" and "compassion" on her behalf. Chris also used terms such as "the woke police" to drive home his opinions.
On Tuesday, Carbone reported that sports analyst Emmanuel Acho, who will be hosting After the Final Rose next week, and Good Morning America co-host Michael Strahan are currently in discussion to take over hosting duties.
But Chris made it clear during a March 3 appearance on GMA that he's going to fight for his job as The Bachelor host given he has served as the face of the franchise since The Bachelor premiered in 2002.
"I plan to be back and I want to be back," Chris said after apologizing for the third time and expressing regret over his offensive comments in the Extra interview.
Carbone reported Tuesday of Chris' potential return, "I don't think Chris hosts Bachelorette since it's too soon, but I really don't think he's gone forever."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
Despite prior reports The Bachelorette planned to postpone production of Season 17 for at least one week due to Chris' racism controversy, Rachel said on Bachelor Party podcast there will be no delay between when Matt's The Bachelor season wraps on TV and the new The Bachelorette season begins taping.
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"There's no pause on it... Anybody that's standing up for change, I don't understand how you could be a part of this current season."
Rachel reportedly added, "There is still so much work to be done. I don't want my name to be affiliated."
Katie, a 30-year-old bank marketing manager from Lynnwood, WA, was eliminated by Matt during a one-on-one date well before the women's round of hometown dates on The Bachelor's 25th season.
When Katie expressed how she was developing strong feelings for Matt, he simply didn't feel the same way.
Many The Bachelor fans were rooting for Katie to become the next The Bachelorette star even before her ouster due to her bold and raunchy sense of humor as well as strong anti-bullying convictions.
Katie appeared to be the only woman denouncing bullying and gossip on the show. She called out the "mean girls" in the house and asked Matt to address rumors so no girl's life would be ruined after the show.
Brittany Galvin, for example, was accused of being a paid escort and sleeping with wealthy men in her hometown of Chicago, IL.
Although Katie works as a bank marketing manager, she has amassed over 400,000 followers on Instagram as well as on her TikTok account, where she shares "adult humor" and "comedic entertainment" videos.
Katie has expressed pride in being unapologetically herself and not hiding anything on the show.
In addition to Katie, many The Bachelor fans have also been calling on Michelle Young, Bri Springs, Chelsea Vaughn or Serena Pitt to star as the next Bachelorette, which is still currently expected to debut on ABC this spring.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
