Bachelor history was made on Monday night.
Following weeks of rumors, it was confirmed that Rachel Lindsay will be The Bachelorette on Season 13, making her the first African-American to anchor the franchise.
The announcement was mostly met with enthusiasm and relief, but also with one question from a few fans of The Bachelor:
What the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks, ABC?!?
See, Lindsay is still a contestant on The Bachelor.
She was given a rose on this week’s installment and will take Nick Viall back to her hometown in just a few days.
So the confirmation of Lindsay as The Bachelorette also should have come with a The Bachelor Spoilers Warning… because it’s clear she won’t be winning Viall’s heart this season.
We still don’t know just what will go down next Monday evening, or the week after, but clearly, Rachel Lindsay is not The Bachelor winner this season.
Given that she’s still in the running, and so popular, this has upset some viewers, and as such, host Chris Harrison says he’s sorry for ruining a bit of the suspense.
“I hate that anything was ruined for #BachelorNation but I’m incredibly excited that @therachlindsay is our new #TheBachelorette,” he wrote on Instagram yesterday.
He included a photo of himself and Lindsay along with the apology and added of the new Bachelorette:
“A smart, strong, independent Texan who loves her @dallascowboys. What more could a man want?”
Lindsay has advanced all the way to the Final Four on this season of The Bachelor.
Now that we know she doesn’t earn a proposal, it’s down to Corinne Olympios, Raven Gates and Vanessa Grimaldi.
Yes, thanks to ABC, we can confirm that Viall will choose from these three women when it comes to settling on a wife.
(Well, a fiancee. Since we know the two won’t actually get married.)
(Okay, let’s be honest: a girlfriend for a few weeks of interviews and tabloid cover stories before they break up.)
As for why ABC made its Bachelorette reveal at such an early date?
Entertainment Tonight reports that The Bachelorette will begin production sooner than usual.
Filming will get underway not long after Viall’s Bachelor season wraps up on March 13 – and producers need to start the process of casting suitors for Lindsay as soon as possible.
This is the earliest a new lead has ever been announced for The Bachelorette.
But social media users who read Harrison’s mea culpa appear okay with it.
“OK FINE, I forgive you. Can’t stay mad at you on Valentine’s Day @chrisbharrison,” wrote one fan, while another added:
“Boo to spoilers but very happy she is the next Bachelorette!!!”
Lindsay was confirmed as The Bachelorette on Jimmy Kimmel Live (above), writing on Instagram soon afterward:
“So happy for this moment!!! Thank you so much for the love and support!!!!
“Can’t believe I am the new bachelorette…still feel like I’m dreaming #bachelornation #bachelorette #thankful #blackhistorymonth #historicmoment.”
Does she feel any pressure as the first African-American to hold this position?
Not really, she told Michael Strahan on Good Morning America.
“I just hope that people rally behind me … and just realize that I’m just trying to find love, and even though I’m an African American woman, it’s no different than any other Bachelorette,” Lindsay said.
In other words:
We can still look forward to THE MOST DRAMATIC ROSE CEREMONIES IN HISTORY every week that features Lindsay.
Thank goodness, right?