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The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer witnessed plenty of drama during season 19. Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey are approaching the end of their journeys, and they have some big decisions to make. During the Fantasy Suites episodes, Gabby and Erich struggled with a conversation that Jesse Palmer says has been a hot topic for years.

[Spoiler alert: The Bachelorette 2022 spoilers ahead regarding Fantasy Suites.]

The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer stands in front of an applauding crowd at the Men Tell All.
Jesse Palmer | Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty Images

Erich struggled with the idea of Gabby spending Fantasy Suites with other men

During The Bachelorette Season 19, Gabby went into Fantasy Suites with the three remaining men — Erich, Johnny, and Jason. Everything went perfectly for Gabby’s Fantasy Suite with Erich, but then things took a turn. She sent home Johnny, who admitted he wasn’t ready for an engagement.

After that, Gabby received a note from Erich asking her to meet him on the bridge. When Gabby met Erich, he expressed that he struggled with the idea of her being intimate with the other two men. Gabby stated that during overnights, Erich said that he felt like she was cheating on him. She was upset that Erich was bringing the topic up again with the cameras back on.

‘The Bachelorette’ host Jesse Palmer says the idea of an ‘ultimatum’ has polarized Bachelor Nation for years

While speaking with People, The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer was asked to discuss the situation with Erich and Gabby. “You know it’s funny. It’s something that I think has polarized Bachelor Nation for years and years and years — this whole thought of an ultimatum because that’s sometimes what it feels like — and whether that’s right or it’s wrong.”

For quite some time, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have followed a similar format. When the lead has three remaining contestants, he or she will have the opportunity to be intimate with them and spend the night with them in Fantasy Suites. Yet every year, there always seems to be at least one contestant who struggles with the idea.

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In fact, when Rachel and Gabby were contestants on Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor, they ran into a similar situation. Clayton sent Susie Evans home when she confessed that she wasn’t comfortable with him being intimate with the remaining two contestants — Rachel and Gabby. Of course, Clayton ended up going back to Susie.

Jesse understands how Gabby felt about Erich resurfacing the topic

Jesse continued while speaking to People, “I never have a problem with somebody expressing how they truly feel and how conflicted they are because of the scenario. It’s easy for all of us to go, ‘Well, dude, it’s the show! Of course, you’ve watched it. You know how this thing works.'”

“But I can also say when they finally get into that situation, and they start feeling the way they feel about somebody, it becomes so much more real, and you can feel a certain way that’s never expected,” he added.

Jesse, however, also stated he could “completely understand” how Gabby felt with Erich bringing the topic back up again when the cameras were on. “I think part of what upset Gabby so much was they had that conversation off-camera,” Jesse said.

“I think he intended for that moment to be a good moment, to tell her, ‘Hey, I miss you, and this is how I feel about you, and I’m in love, and here’s what my hopes are.’ But to have all that put back in front of the camera, I think that sort of blindsided Gabby and sort of put her on the spot.”

New episodes of The Bachelorette Season 19 air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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