‘The Bachelorette’: Nick Viall Teases Rachel and Gabby’s Season Will Have a ‘Paradise Feel’
The Bachelorette is shifting from its usual format and will feature two Bachelorettes — Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia — in Season 19. It’s unclear how the competition will work with two leads. But former Bachelor Nick Viall suggested it may have more of a Bachelor in Paradise feel.
‘The Bachelorette’ Season 19 is the first to feature two leads
For 18 seasons, The Bachelorette has featured one main lead dating a group of eligible bachelors. But for Season 19, the show is switching things up with Windey and Reccia as co-leads.
When talking to Good Morning America, the reality stars revealed how close they got after being dumped by Clayton Echard on The Bachelor. And they suggested their friendship is now stronger than ever.
“We just got thrown in, but I have faith and a lot of trust and I love Rachel to death, and I know we’re gonna have each other’s backs the whole way,” Windey enthused before filming the new season of The Bachelorette. “So there’s really not a doubt in my mind that it’s gonna end up well.”
Reccia added, “It’s actually insane the things me and Gabby have been through [on the show]. We always knew that we had a bond forever, and to get to do this together, now [she’s] never going to be able to get rid of me!”
Nick Viall says ‘The Bachelorette’ Season 19 will feel like ‘Bachelor in Paradise’
It’s still unclear how The Bachelorette Season 19 will work and what the new rules will be. But according to Viall, who still talks to people working on the show, the new season may feel similar to Bachelor In Paradise.
“I’ve heard it’s going to be very different,” he revealed on his podcast, The Viall Files. “And it’s going to have a Paradise feel to it. It is on a cruise ship — part of it. I asked people because it sounds like the producers think it’s gonna be really interesting, but very different.”
“[But] if it doesn’t work out, like if, let’s say Gabby was like, feeling it with ‘Frank.’ ‘Frank’ could be like, ‘Rachel, sup?'” he continued. “There’s a little bit of like, options, right? And the thing about Paradise, what makes it different is people have options.”
Filming on a cruise ship with 2 leads wasn’t easy for ‘The Bachelorette’ production team
On The Viall Files, Viall also revealed that some production members suggested they wouldn’t want to do a double-lead season of The Bachelorette again. And the reason he said they gave was that filming on the cruise ship proved to be a difficult undertaking with two leads.
“They said it was hell to film because they decided to have two Bachelorettes, like, last second,” Viall said. “So the scheduling was for one Bachelorette.”
“They had to jam it all in,” he continued. “And then I asked, I’m like, ‘What if it goes really well, like, this is a hit?’ — The people I talk to, they hope they never do it again. Just because of the logistics. I think a cruise ship probably was the challenge.”
The Bachelorette Season 19 premieres on July 11 on ABC.
