The Bachelorette star Katie Thurston has rushed to Hunter Montgomery's defense after viewers criticized the bachelor's tics and self-described "aggressive" behavior during Monday night's Season 17 episode.

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After The Bachelorette's latest episode showed Hunter brutally tackling his opponents -- including Michael Allio -- during a game of Bash Ball and bragging about how he'd do whatever it takes to win a rose from Katie, Hunter was apparently subjected to backlash.

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The Bachelorette fans also poked fun at Hunter's frequent habit of clearing his throat and sinuses on camera, and Katie is apparently not okay with people trash-talking her cast of men.

"Remember you only get to see a portion of who these men are," Katie, 30, tweeted on July 5. "For example, you probably didn't know Hunter has #Tourettes."

Katie therefore added, "So I encourage everyone to think twice before commenting negative things about these men. #TheBachelorette."

Tourette syndrome is a disorder that involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds, known as tics, that can't be easily controlled, according to Mayo Clinic.

Hunter posted a video on Wednesday of himself addressing the mixture of hate and support he's been receiving ever since The Bachelorette episode aired on Monday night.

"Obviously last night was miserable, the way I was portrayed. I woke up in a really bad place this morning. I woke up to a lot of hate -- a lot of hateful DMs and tweets," said the 34-year-old software strategist from Houston, TX.

"But for every hateful DM, there was one of hope and one saying that they had a son with the same experience on the Tourette side and saying that they know my true character and things like that. And what I want you to know, for the people sending those messages, you matter and thank you, seriously. It means a lot."

Hunter first addressed his Tourette syndrome diagnosis via Instagram Stories on Monday, according to People.

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"Just to be clear. The snorting and sniffling is due to minor Tourette's, which I've had my entire life," he reportedly wrote. "Thx."

Hunter has faced a lot of adversity in his life. The divorcee and single father wrote last week on Instagram that he had celebrated 14 years of sobriety from "a fatal drug addiction to opiates" in March.

"I was as hopeless and tortured as they come," Hunter captioned a photo of his Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) chip on July 1.

"I am blessed to have had an incredible program, a stellar support system, and one damn good higher power that allowed me to be pulled from the black hole that is addiction, and go on to live an incredible life."

Hunter continued, "If you are struggling, if you are scared, or hopeless..If you miss living, and miss feeling.. please do not give up. REACH OUT. We all have a purpose in this life. If I can do it, so can you. We've all got a whole lotta' living left to do. I love you all. #addiction #recovery #sober #sobriety #AA #mentalhealth #drugs #recovered #alcoholism."

Hunter received a group-date rose from Katie on The Bachelorette after he showed her pictures of his two children.

"I don't want to sound cocky or overconfident, but there is no one else like me," Hunter boasted.

"As far as these guys kissing Katie, I don't care -- hug her all you want. My relationship with Katie is as strong as it could be right now, and it's only going to get stronger."

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The Bachelorette frontrunner Greg Grippo said he didn't understand what Katie saw in Hunter, and Aaron Clancy called Hunter "two-faced" and said he was coming across as "fake."

During the cocktail party preceding the fourth Rose Ceremony of the season, Hunter told the cameras he was already picturing his hometown date with Katie, and multiple guys grew angry about Hunter "monopolizing" Katie's time when he already had a rose.

Hunter, however, admitted he was "focused on Katie" and didn't "give a sh-t" what the other guys thought about him or felt.

Hunter said nothing was going to stand in his way of winning Katie's heart.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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