Matt James has made history. But to whom will he make love on The Bachelor – and to whom will be bequeath that coveted final rose?
This is the question viewers around the nation have, as they head into a brand new year, and season of this beloved TV franchise.
Well, we now answers. More of them each day.
Based on a number of sources and reports, we’ve got The Bachelor spoilers for you for the still-unfolding 2021 campaign.
Gotta love it. Bachelor spoilers make things more fun, after all, especially as the episodes fly by and pieces fall into place.
There are still gaps to fill in, but the top four, the final two and the winner herself have been revealed by Reality Steve.
The man is good at what he does. And now we’re starting to get a clearer sense of the order in which the gals go home.
But will you love the results? Will Matt’s journey end in a proposal? Will his season go down as one of the best ever?
Time will tell re: some of those historical topics, but as far as the spoilers go, we’ve got you. Scroll down to find out now.
[Spoiler alert, obviously.]
1.
James is Ready for Another First
On the Season 25 premiere, Matt James – not only the first Black lead, but the first franchise newcomer to hand out the roses in years – admits to Chris Harrison that he’s never been in love. Not ever. Not once in his life. “It’s my job to change that,” the host tells The Bachelor.
2.
He’ll Have Quite a Few Choices, Too
ABC released the names and photos of 43 women ahead of the season premiere. They range in ages from 21 through 32, but not all of these suitors will end up appearing on the show.
3.
Wait, Where is the Season Being Filmed?
James’ journey kicked off January 4 at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania. The set was reportedly isolated and all COVID-19 protocols were being followed.
4.
Make Way for Tayshia!
If you recognize the surroundings, your eyes are not deceiving you. The latest Bachelorette actually filmed her After the Final Rose ceremony at this same place – and the newly-engaged Tayshia is expected to pop up at some point on Matt’s season.
5.
Will Other Familiar Faces Show Up?
Yup! In addition to Tayshia, look for Matt’s great pal, Tyler Cameron, to make an appearance. And also Hannah Brown, who is friends with Matt and, uh, “friends” with Tyler as well. And also Wells Adams. Seriously.
6.
Matt Being Matt
For a long time, there was no reliable intel, and we were forced to rely on comments like this one from Tyler: “Matt is being Matt and we’re going to get the Matt we all love. He’s extremely happy. He loves the girls. He spoke so highly of them. There are so many great girls, he says he’s really pushing himself to be vulnerable to put himself out there, and I think you’re going to get a great season and a great Matt.” Never a doubt!
7.
Was There a Need to Shut Down at Any Point?
No. Just like The Bachelorette (and the NBA), Covid protocols were followed and no surprises cases created any hiccups. “It’s the blueprint and the formula we used to shoot Clare’s season, and is working out perfectly,” Chris Harrison told Entertainment Tonight. “I can tell you it’s working, it’s successful and — knock on wood — it’ll continue to be successful.”
8.
Let’s Talk First Impression Rose, Shall We?
Thanks to spoiler guru Reality Steve, we knew the idenity of the woman who earns the first impression rose ahead of time.
9.
Say Hello to Abigail Heringer!
Abigail got Matt’s first rose. Originally from Salem, Oreon, Abigail was reportedly born partially deaf and given cochlear implants as a child.
10.
How Far Does Abigail Advance?
Sadly, for those hoping that the first deaf contestant would run away with Matt’s heart all the way to the finale, it looks like she’s eliminated in the final six this year. (Which is still a heck of a run.)
11.
The Final Four Lucky Ladies
It took a little longer than some fans hoped, but Reality Steve has delivered the goods, and we know the names of Matt’s final four.
12.
Michelle Young
We just Michelle this week – another franchise first in a year full of them. She’s one of five women who were introduced to the house after the second rose ceremony. And it seems she wasted no time in catching Matt’s eye.
13.
Serena Pitt
Next up is Serena Pitt. Apparently, the 23-year-old publicist and self-described foodie from Toronto formed quite a connection with Matt. She may not have gotten as much time with Matt as she would have liked during the insanity of the first party, but she more than makes up for it down the road.
14.
Bri Springs
Bri is something of a wild card. Steve says this is the one he’s least certain of. But right now, it seems that the smart money is on Bri making it to the final four.
15.
Rachael Kirkconnell
The lovely Rachael Kirkconnell rounds out the final foursome this season. Like Matt, the Cumming, Ga., resident is a southerner with a taste for the old-fashioned. Kirkconnell says she’s never been in love, but obviously that will change this season. So who will receive Matt’s final rose??
16.
There Can Be Only One
Steve’s spies tell him that Rachael and Michelle are the final two, and Rachael Kirkconnell emerges victorious. Of course, major questions still remain, such as …
17.
Hometown Intel
The Bachelor spoilers guru says that intel is backed by reports from the residents of Cumming, Ga., who say there’s no doubt that Rachael is Matt’s woman. “All I keep being told out of Cumming is that Rachael won, and all her friends and family know and they’re telling everyone,” Steve writes.
18.
Could This Be Wrong?
Of course. Steve cautions readers that the outcome is still not guaranteed, and there’s “a lot more that goes down this season.” And there’s also the chance of a late-season (even post-season) shift, as we’ve seen with Arie and Jason, to name a few. But Steve also doesn’t publish things that he’s not confident in, and overall has an incredible track record. So the smart money is definitely on Rachael.
19.
The Runner-Up
As for Michelle, we don’t know with 100 percent certainty that she makes it all the way to Matt’s top two, but there is one piece of information that seems to indicate as much.
20.
No Ceremony Needed
According to Reality Steve, Matt sends Michelle home during an intimate, one-on-one moment, as opposed to during a rose ceremony.
21.
The Correct Move
Typically, this is a move we see on The Bachelorette — the lead sends one of the two guys home in order to spare him the embarrassment of standing there for a final rose ceremony. It seems Matt may have taken a page from the ladies’ book. We respect that.
22.
Twists and Turns …
So we have a pretty good sense of how the remainder of this season will play out. But don’t worry, there are more surprises to come.
23.
The Most Dramatic Season … EVER?!?!
We don’t know, but it certainly has all the makings for a highly emotional moment. And of course, the major question of the season still remains unanswered …
24.
Dad James?!
Steve also reports that Matt will receive a visit from his father at some point this season, which is rather shocking, as the 29-year-old has stated on several occasions that he was raised by a single mom.
25.
Will There Be a Proposal?
As for whether or not Matt winds up getting engaged at the end of this season, that remains uncertain. But it does sound that way. “Matt seems genuinely happy and I think we’re going to get the ending we all want and have been missing for a while,” Tyler added. Here’s hoping!