The Bachelorette stars Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia have revealed they weren't forced to compete against each other and definitely had their own loves stories on Season 19.
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RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
"It was a huge learning process for everyone because it was such new territory," Gabby told People in a joint interview with Rachel.
The 31-year-old nurse from Denver, CO, and Rachel are remaining tight-lipped about their season to avoid spoilers and not "ruin" the ending, but Gabby shared that "the story will definitely show and kind of tell itself once it starts airing."
"I think people do know at this point that we do each have our own love stories," Gabby confirmed.
On Clayton Echard's The Bachelor season, which wrapped in March, the ladies were strung along as Clayton professed his love to all of his Final 3 women, which also included Susie Evans.
Following a roller coaster of decision-making, Clayton finally determined that he loved Susie "the most" and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and so he sent home both Gabby and Rachel in a brutal joint dumping session after they both met his family.
The majority of Bachelor Nation has therefore been concerned Gabby and Rachel were pitted against each other while taping The Bachelorette.
While Gabby and Rachel were probably naturally attracted to some of the same men, the dual leads insisted there was no competition between them.
"It was so nice to have each other to lean on and have that built-in support as we were moving through," Gabby said.
And the 26-year-old pilot from Chicago added, "It's just really amazing. We both get to have our own journeys and our own stories, but still have each other along the way."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWRachel emphasized how honesty and transparency with her co-star were key throughout the season.
"I think Gabby and I just went into it talking to each other and knowing that throughout everything, we just had to have communication," Rachel said. "And that really just worked for us throughout the whole thing."
Former The Bachelor star Nick Viall recently claimed to have heard the inside scoop from production, revealing that The Bachelorette filmed on a cruise ship and will have a Bachelor in Paradise-feel to it this year.
"If it doesn't work out, like if, let's say Gabby was like, feeling it with 'Frank.' 'Frank' could be like, 'Rachel, sup?'" Nick explained on his "The Viall Files" podcast.
"There's a little bit of like, options, right? And the thing about Paradise, what makes it different is people have options."
And in late June, The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer revealed that Gabby and Rachel faced some "unexpected" challenges and had some "raw" and "serious" conversations while dating the same group of men.
Jesse wouldn't confirm or deny whether Gabby and Rachel fell for the same guy or guys at the time.
"It's not them competing for something," Jesse told E! News, "but there were some raw, serious and honest conversations that had to take place."
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Gabby promised The Bachelorette fans that Season 19 -- premiering Monday, July 11 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC -- is "going to be a crazy ride."
When announcing the women's suitors in a live TikTok event last month, Jesse insisted this The Bachelorette season will be "unlike anything" viewers have "ever seen before."
"I just can't wait for everyone to see it all unfold," Gabby told People.
Gabby called the experience she and Rachel had as Bachelorettes "so special and memorable," concluding, "I don't think we would have had it any other way."
ABC featured two Bachelorettes in one season only once before, but Kaitlyn Bristowe and Britt Nilsson were forced to face off against each other for a solo The Bachelorette role on Night 1 of the show back when Season 11 aired in 2016.
After only several hours of getting to know Kaitlyn and Britt, the men voted for the woman they'd like to continue dating, and Kaitlyn ended up starring on the season with more votes.
Britt, who had already competed against Kaitlyn for Chris Soules' heart on The Bachelor's nineteenth edition, was sent home immediately.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
