We May Lose It If “Bachelorette'”s Gabby and Rachel Have to Compete For the Same Men

Every year, ABC teases the “most dramatic finale in ‘Bachelor’ history,” and this year it measured up to the hype! In the worst way possible, Clayton Echard’s season ended in a rollercoaster that left top two contestants Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia devastated. In case you missed it, Echard told Susie Evans, who was in the top three, that he slept with both Windey and Recchia during their Fantasy Suite dates. As a result, she sent herself home. During part one of the finale, the former football player went on to tell his top two that he was in love with both of them, slept with both of them, and was still in love with Evans despite the fact that she sent herself home.

Windey iconically told cameras behind-the-scenes, “Wrong f*cking answer” before she decided she didn’t want to continue on with the journey. Follow me on this ride, alright? Windey ended up deciding to give Echard another chance, as did Recchia. They went to meet “The Bachelor” lead’s parents, who were equally dumbfounded as to why he made the moves he did. They also questioned how he was in love with three women at once. In the end, he broke Windey and Recchia’s hearts and went after Evans, who declined his proposal. He officially became the first lead in the dating show to leave with nobody. And here’s the plot twist: During the “After the Final Rose” special, Evans revealed she gave him another chance, and now they’re dating. Whew, there’s not much to say there.

Windey and Recchia proved to rise above all the drama and lifted each other up throughout the final days of the show. At the “After the Final Rose,” “Bachelor” host Jesse Palmer announced they would both be the “Bachelorette” in a joint season.

“I’m so happy for her, I truly am. It’s crazy, this is insane. I’m excited to do this journey with you. We did it once together, and we’ve been through the most crazy experience together,” Recchia said on Tuesday night. Windey added, “I’m a girl’s girl through and through so having a friend by my side, there’s nothing I could ask more.”

Throughout the finale, both women were understandably upset because they felt that not only did Echard betray their trust, he also seemed to force them into competing with one another. With that being said, how does having them on the same season of “The Bachelorette” help them overcome their feelings of comparison? Windey and Recchia asked Palmer how exactly a joint season would be executed, to which he admitted he had no idea.

All I know is that they deserve to have 30 guys each and not be put in a situation in which they’re fighting for the same man or having men compare them. There are so many open-ended questions about the logistics of having two leads for the entire season. This marks the third time “The Bachelorette” has had two women share the same contestants and neither worked out. Fans may remember Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season in 2015 started episode one with Britt Nilsson and the men decided which lead they wanted more. And though non-intentional, Clare Crawley abruptly ended her season in 2020 after deciding she only wanted to pursue her relationship with now-ex Dale Moss. Tayshia Adams then became “Bachelorette,” but instead of getting a new group of guys, producers had Crawley’s remaining men stick around and added a few new ones to the house. That switch didn’t go over well with those only interested in Crawley.

Windey and Recchia deserve the highest quality of men after dealing with Echard. If 60 men total or 15 men per woman don’t show up to the mansion, this is going to be miserable to watch. Please producers, no funny business. Windey and Recchia’s season of “The Bachelorette” premieres on July 11.