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ABC’s Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 showed a shocking exit in episode 7. Becca Serrano joined the beach in episode 6 and deeply connected with Brayden Bowers on a date. However, Becca left the beach shortly after their date in episode 7. Was she a producer plant to stir the pot? Here’s what we know.

[Spoiler alert: Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 spoilers ahead regarding Becca Serrano.]

Was Becca Serrano a producer plant in ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 9?

Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 featured Brayden Bowers developing a quick romantic connection with Becca Serrano. Before Becca hit the beach, Brayden sustained a relationship with Rachel Recchia. But Rachel was old news once Becca asked him on a date. After Becca and Brayden’s date, Brayden made it known that he hoped to continue dating Becca, leaving Rachel in the dust.

Unfortunately, Brayden’s relationship with Becca was short-lived. Becca didn’t arrive at the third rose ceremony, leaving Brayden hanging. When host Jesse Palmer found Becca, she explained, “I feel like there was lots of doubt about my relationship with Brayden, and I’m kind of listening to that. I want to see if what we have is real, but I just am afraid that, what if it’s not?” She then abruptly left without saying anything to Brayden.

Ultimately, Brayden couldn’t give a rose to Becca. So, he gave his rose to Olivia Lewis. Olivia hoped to get a rose from John Henry Spurlock, but he gave his rose to Kat Izzo.

So, was Becca’s arrival and departure a producer-driven decision? We can’t say for sure, but it makes sense for production to make this move. Becca’s strange and abrupt exit allowed Olivia to stay on the beach, which means there will be continued drama between Olivia and Kat. The Olivia, Kat, and John Henry love triangle is surely driving viewership, as it’s one of the most intriguing storylines this season. Without Olivia and Kat on the beach — two huge and opposing personalities — BIP Season 9 might lose its luster.

Fans also think Becca Serrano’s departure was planned

'Bachelor in Paradise' Season 9 cast members Brayden Bowers and Becca Serrano
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 9 cast members Brayden Bowers and Becca Serrano | ABC/Craig Sjodin
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Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 fans have theories about Becca Serrano’s arrival and exit. Some fans believe that production wanted Becca to leave so that Rachel Recchia and Brayden Bowers could rekindle their previous romance. However, that’s not what happened, as Rachel started pursuing Tanner Courtad.

“Genuinely think she was a producer plant,” a fan on Reddit wrote. “Created drama with Brayden and Rachel, but they can’t let a former Bachelorette leave in embarrassment. Traditionally, they are very good to former leads on this show — it would have been weird for them to let Rachel go during such a bummer situation. I don’t think they anticipated her and Tanner since that came together at the last minute. Brayden had already expressed he was choosing Becca. So, taking that person away ensured a greater chance of Rachel staying.”

Other fans think Becca only entered and exited the show so that Olivia Lewis could continue. Either way, we’re happy to have Olivia around. She’s become one of the main narrators on the beach.

This isn’t the first time that fans suspect producer plants in Bachelor Nation

Fans in the past suspected that Bachelor in Paradise and other Bachelor Nation shows involved producer plants to spice up the drama. Another fan on Reddit explained that certain cast members aren’t necessarily planted, but they are coached on their storyline and how they should act.

“You have to have an interesting storyline to get airtime and stay off the editing floor,” a fan on Reddit explained. “The producer works with them around sound bites and drama and how they will act/things they will do to get attention brought to their storyline, etc. Also, many scenes are shot multiple times to get the right expressions and angles to put the story together. Everything they do is approved by their assigned producer who is their buddy/handler/joined at the hip person throughout the season.”

Bachelor Nation participants have allegedly confirmed this, too.

Bachelor in Paradise Season 9 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

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