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Matt James’ season of The Bachelor is officially over, and fans are looking forward to seeing what’s in store for Katie Thurston as the next star of The Bachelorette. Now, it looks like fans can start to see who will be vying for Katie’s heart. So, how old are the new Bachelorette’s contestants — and will we have another season of folks in their early 20s? Here’s what we know.

Who is the next Bachelorette? Katie Thurston is taking the reigns

Michelle Young and Katie Thurston sitting together and laughing as they are announced as the next leads of 'The Bachelorette' on 'After the Final Rose'
Michelle Young and Katie Thurston are announced as the next leads of ‘The Bachelorette’ on ‘After the Final Rose’ | Craig Sjodin via Getty Images

Those who watched Matt’s season of The Bachelorette are in for a treat. Katie is the next star of The Bachelorette, as she captured fans’ hearts throughout the season for taking a stand against bullying and the negative energy in the house. During the After the Final Rose ceremony, it was announced that Katie would be the next lead. Thanks to Reality Steve, though, fans knew she was the next to find love.

“I reported early last week that Katie [Thurston] was going to be announced as the next ‘Bachelorette’ in the coming days,” Reality Steve explained via social media. “It happened at the taping this past Friday. HOWEVER, there is some sort of twist to it.”

As for the twist, it’s that there’s not just one new star of The Bachelorette. After Katie’s turn as the lead, Michelle Young will take over and have her go at finding love.

How old are Katie Thurston’s contestants?

Contestant age has been a hot topic for Bachelor Nation fans. Peter Weber’s season of The Bachelor saw a number of women in their early 20s — and many fans disliked it. Then, Clare Crawley was brought in as the oldest Bachelorette. This was followed by Tayshia Adams, who’s now 30.

As for Katie, the star is also 30 — and she’ made it known she’s looking for mature men. Now that the network announced her contestants, their ages were revealed as well.

According to E! News, the men range from ages 25 to 36. There are four contestants — Marty, Landon, Austin, and Joshua — who are 25. And there are just two contestants who are 36 — Michael A. and Bao. As for the other men, there are quite a few 26-year-olds. Tré, Quartney, Justin, Dennis, Christian, Brandon, Andrew, Aaron, and Kyle are all 26. But there are plenty of others in their late-20s and early-30s as well, so we’re hoping Katie will find her perfect match.

What day does ‘The Bachelorette’ start?

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‘The Bachelorette’: Katie Thurston’s Cast Is Posted and Fans Have a Favorite Already

So, when does the new season of The Bachelorette begin? From what we know so far, it’s likely the season will start on May 17, 2021. Reality Steve noted Katie will begin filming her season the weekend of March 19, so fans are likely to see a quick turnaround from Matt’s season.

As for Michelle’s Bachelorette moment, we’ll have to wait a bit longer. Her season will come after Katie, which likely means fans will watch her in the summer 2021 months, or the fall.

Fans can also look forward to new hosts for the show. Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe will co-host the new seasons.

“If I can provide any sense of comfortability for anybody that’s watching this show, knowing that I’m there, my presence matters, that means the most to me,” Tayshia shared with CNN. “But also, I found such an amazing love on this journey and if I can be a mentor to Katie for her to do the same, truly that’s what we’re here for and I’m excited to help here in that.”

We’re excited to watch it all unfold!

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