The Bachelorette bachelor Tyler Norris has revealed that he had reached out and tried to talk to Rachel Recchia before Season 19 began filming.
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Tyler, a 25-year-old small business owner from Wildwood, NJ, appeared on a recent episode of the "Click Bait with Bachelor Nation" podcast co-hosted by Joe Amabile, Tia Booth and Natasha Parker, and he shared a "really funny story" about his The Bachelorette casting.
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"The only season that I really watched, like every single episode, was this past season, the one right before me, [Clayton Echard's The Bachelor] season," Tyler began.
"And it was pretty funny because ultimately, after that one, I got asked to do the show. So, yeah."
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Tyler recalled feeling a sudden urge to contact Rachel after watching the second episode of The Bachelor's 26th season, which premiered in January and wrapped in March.
"So I remember... I was about two bottles of wine deep, and I'm watching the show and I thought, since the day she got out of the limo, I thought Rachel was gorgeous," Tyler said.
"I was just like, 'Oh my gosh, you know what? Why don't I just DM her on Instagram? Why not?'"
Tyler continued, "So I DM'd her after the second week and I said, 'Hey, if things don't work out with Clayton and you ever end up as the Bachelorette, sign me up because I would love to pursue you.'"
Tyler told Joe, Natasha and Tia that about a week later, he received a phone call.
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"I got a call that I got nominated for the show, and I was asked if I wanted to do it," Tyler revealed.
When Tia asked Tyler if Rachel had nominated him, Tyler replied, "I wish! I don't think so."
Joe reasoned, "If it were me, I would've thought, 'Rachel must have said something to the producers.'"
"You know, I wasn't that confident about it," Tyler admitted. "I don't even think she saw my DM."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
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But Tyler said when he and Rachel enjoyed some one-on-one time on the show, he did inform her about the DM he had sent before filming began.
"And she was like, 'Well, I've got to look back and see if that's actually true!'" Tyler recalled. "And I was like, 'I'm telling you, it's true.'"
Tyler confirmed that's why The Bachelorette's latest episode showed him reiterating to Rachel how he went on the show for her, and only her.
"I never actually had the conversation with her prior because I wanted to get to know her. I knew her from the show side, obviously, but you don't know what they're going to be like when you meet them in person," Tyler pointed out.
"And I just thought she was incredible. So I was like, 'You know what? I'll tell her.'"
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Tyler admitted there was no part of him that wanted to pursue a potential romance with Gabby on the show.
"I was 100 percent in on Rachel once I got there," Tyler insisted. "I really wanted to get to know her... and pursue Rachel. But obviously, Gabby was another amazing woman on her season, and she seemed funny and so genuine."
Tyler therefore concluded, "Obviously I wanted to have a conversation with her at some point."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
Tyler was one of three bachelors, along with Hayden Markowitz and Jacob Rapini, who dumped Gabby on a group date and said he was only interested in dating Rachel going forward.
However, Tyler was the only man of the three who delivered a respectful and polite breakup speech, and so Gabby appreciated his approach and harbored no hard feelings toward him.
Hayden, on the other hand, called Gabby "rough around the edges," and Jacob said if Gabby had been the only Bachelorette on Season 19, he'd quit the show due to their lack of connection.
On Monday night's The Bachelorette episode, Tyler cried when reading a letter he had written to Rachel during a group date, and so she invited him to spend some time alone with her that evening.
Tyler shared how he had been fully ready to commit to an ex-girlfriend and bought them a house, only to get unexpectedly dumped.
Tyler said he couldn't wait to feel and give unconditional love again, and Rachel liked how Tyler seemed ready and willing to love with all of his heart, even if it meant getting it broken.
Tyler also told Rachel he'd have no problem cooking and cleaning at home while Rachel worked as a pilot. He said he wanted to be a woman's rock one day and that Rachel was the only person he saw every time she walked into the room.
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Rachel became excited about the man who was unafraid of love, and she gave Tyler a rose and said she truly felt a connection with him.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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