The Bachelorette alum Kaitlyn Bristowe has broken her silence on ABC's decision to have Jesse Palmer host Season 19 instead of having her return with Tayshia Adams as co-hosts.
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Jesse announced on The Bachelor: After the Final Rose for Clayton Echard's season last week that he'll be hosting The Bachelorette's upcoming nineteenth edition, which will star Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey when it premieres Monday, July 11 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.
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Since The Bachelor 26 host has been asked to reprise his role after one season, Kaitlyn, 36, and Tayshia, 31 -- who co-hosted Season 17 and Season 18 of The Bachelorette -- will not be returning.
"I guess -- spoiler alert -- I'm not coming back," Kaitlyn said during the Tuesday episode of her "Off the Vine" podcast, according to Us Weekly.
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"I saw at the end of the finale Jesse was announcing the two Bachelorettes, and he said he was going to be by their side for that."
Kaitlyn complimented the 43-year-old former NFL player who starred on Season 5 of The Bachelor in 2004 as being "amazing," but she noted how she's received a "lot of questions" about whether she'll ever host/co-host The Bachelorette again.
"He'll be a great host, and I hope he helps Gabby and Rachel in any way that he can," Kaitlyn said of The Bachelor 26 host.
"I want to support Gabby and Rachel and be there for them so bad. I think it makes sense to have a woman being there for them... I will be sad."
However, Kaitlyn said she's looking at this break from hosting as a "blessing in disguise" since she has been juggling other projects as well as an engagement to The Bachelorette alum Jason Tartick.
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"I also do want to prioritize being at home with Jason and the [dogs] and start planning my wedding and catch up on my businesses," Kaitlyn shared.
"There's a lot of exciting things coming up in the next few months, and it all just feels very overwhelming. But I guess it's that saying, like, 'You can have it all, but you can't have it all at once.'"
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A source told Us, however, that "the doors aren't closed for good" in terms of Kaitlyn and Tayshia participating in the franchise in the future, adding, "Never say never."
The source also insisted that Kaitlyn, who starred on Season 11 of The Bachelorette, and Tayshia, who starred on Season 16 of the series, were not blindsided or surprised by the news and had been informed of Jesse's casting "prior to the announcement" on March 15.
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The ladies were reportedly a "part of the conversation" with producers behind the scenes.
But Kaitlyn, who won Season 29 Dancing with the Stars, is reportedly bothered by the fact she and Tayshia had been listed as a "special guest" in the credits when they co-hosted The Bachelorette while Jesse was listed as "host" of The Bachelor.
"The only resentment that seems to come out of it is their titles and contracts," the source explained, alleging that it "all comes down to pay" and the ladies received "less pay" because of their less-significant titles.
Although Kaitlyn and Tayshia are both probably sad not to return as The Bachelorette co-hosts, the source said Tayshia continues to have a "cordial" relationship with ABC.
"The bridge is not burned," the source said of Tayshia's involvement in the franchise. "She's been exploring a lot of different avenues and meeting with different people in the industry. She's looking to continue expanding her career outside of Bachelor Nation."
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Kaitlyn and Tayshia subtly reacted to Jesse taking over The Bachelorette hosting role last week.
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Kaitlyn and Tayshia's Instagram bios previously mentioned how they co-host The Bachelorette, but that job description has been deleted on both of their accounts.
And Jesse's own Instagram bio now reads, "Host of @bachelorabc Season 26 and @bacheloretteabc Season 19."
"With every ending, comes a new beginning," Jesse wrote Wednesday, March 16 on Instagram. "So excited for @gabby.windey and @pilot.rachel our new BACHELORETTES!!! Both are STRONG, SMART, AMAZING and equally DESERVING!!! Can't wait to join them on their journey to find LOVE!!!"
Kaitlyn admitted in December 2021 that she'd love to continue serving as a co-host of The Bachelorette.
"I love hosting," Kaitlyn told the magazine at the time.
"I love being in a position to help the Bachelorette and be, like, somebody who can really empower them and give confidence and validate their insecurities and just help them navigate through that journey because I would've loved to have somebody like that there for me. And I like being that person that can help."
But Kaitlyn also understood Jesse's casting for The Bachelor and said she never expected to co-host even more than one season.
"We never really thought that would be our position. I mean, we never really thought we'd still be here for a second season hosting," Kaitlyn said.
"I think it's cool to have a male that's been in that position help mentor the lead [on The Bachelor] and say, 'I've been here, I've done this and I'm here to help you.' So it made sense for me that they got a past Bachelor and also someone that, like, has been in a hosting role before. He's gonna do a really great job."
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The Bachelorette's nineteenth season is expected to begin filming this week.
The franchise's longtime host, Chris Harrison, permanently exited the show following his early 2021 racism controversy involving The Bachelor alums Rachael Kirkconnell and Rachel Lindsay.
ABC and Chris publicly announced in June 2021 that Chris' voluntary leave of absence from The Bachelor franchise -- which began in February of that year -- would become a permanent one and he will not be returning as host for any future seasons.
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