ABC made history during Tuesday night’s After The Rose special that wrapped up Season 26 of The Bachelor, revealing the TWO women who will be The Bachelorette: Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey.
The 26-year-old Recchia, a commercial airline pilot and flight instructor, and the 31-year-old Windey, an ICU nurse and former Denver Bronco cheerleader, were both stunned when host Jesse Palmer revealed they were the hosts.
Palmer had earlier teased that the new Bachelorette is not Gabby and it’s not Rachel… before revealing, ‘it’s Gabby AND Rachel!’
Bachelorettes: ABC made history during Tuesday night’s After The Rose special that wrapped up Season 26 of The Bachelor, revealing the TWO women who will be The Bachelorette: Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey
Both: Palmer had earlier teased that the new Bachelorette is not Gabby and it’s not Rachel… before revealing, ‘it’s Gabby AND Rachel!’
Both Recchia and Windey were finalists on this season of The Bachelor, who were both brutally dumped by Clayton Echard after he admitted sleeping with both of them and Susie Evans, and deciding to pursue Evans over them.
While the finale ended with a Bachelor first – Evans rejecting Echard’s last-minute proposal, she appeared at the After the Rose special revealing Clayton was her boyfriend.
He revealed that he’s moving to Virginia to be with Susie, before she accepts his final rose on the special.
Dumped: Both Recchia and Windey were finalists on this season of The Bachelor, who were both brutally dumped by Clayton Echard after he admitted sleeping with both of them and Susie Evans, and deciding to pursue Evans over them
Clayton and Susie: While the finale ended with a Bachelor first – Evans rejecting Echard’s last-minute proposal, she appeared at the After the Rose special revealing Clayton was her boyfriend
After Clayton seemingly got his happy ending, Palmer – who will return to host The Bachelorette in Season 19 – revealed the dual Bachelorettes, as the ladies embraced in the audience.
After they embraced, Recchia said, ‘You deserve this,’ as Windey replied, ‘No you do! Oh my God!’
They both went over to join Palmer, who said, ‘That is right. This is crazy. For the first time ever, we will have two Bachelorettes for the entire season.’
Embraced: After Clayton seemingly got his happy ending, Palmer – who will return to host The Bachelorette in Season 19 – revealed the dual Bachelorettes, as the ladies embraced in the audience
First time: They both went over to join Palmer, who said, ‘That is right. This is crazy. For the first time ever, we will have two Bachelorettes for the entire season’
Windey asked if they, ‘date the same guys,’ but Palmer wouldn’t answer, though he did say, ‘we beat ourselves up’ about this decision.
‘At the end of the day, watching you both support each other in Iceland, and also have you have tonight, that was really the big reason why we decided to give you the shot. You really are deserving of this,’ Palmer said.
He also asked, ‘how is this thing going to work?’ though he admitted, ‘I honestly have no idea. But I do want to tell you, Gabby, Rachel, we are going to figure this whole thing out together. This is going to be amazing. This is your journey.’
Same guys: Windey asked if they, ‘date the same guys,’ but Palmer wouldn’t answer, though he did say, ‘we beat ourselves up’ about this decision
Jesse: ‘At the end of the day, watching you both support each other in Iceland, and also have you have tonight, that was really the big reason why we decided to give you the shot. You really are deserving of this,’ Palmer said
When he asked Rachel how she was feeling, she said, ‘I am so happy for her. I truly am! It’s crazy. This is insane and I’m excited to do this journey with you. We did it once together. We’ve been to the most crazy experience together.’
Jesse added that he thinks they will both be, ‘connected forever based on what you went through in Iceland.
‘I’m a girl’s girl through and through, so having a friend by my side is the best thing I could ask for,’ Gabby added as they embraced again.
So happy: When he asked Rachel how she was feeling, she said, ‘I am so happy for her. I truly am! It’s crazy. This is insane and I’m excited to do this journey with you. We did it once together. We’ve been to the most crazy experience together’
Friends: ‘I’m a girl’s girl through and through, so having a friend by my side is the best thing I could ask for,’ Gabby added as they embraced again
When Jesse asked Rachel what she’s looking for in her perfect man, she said, ‘Well, someone that is supportive and someone that loves me. Let’s start there.’
Gabby said that she’s looking for, ‘someone who is emotionally intelligent, mature, who can challenge me.’
ABC has yet to announce when the new season of The Bachelorette will premiere.
Perfect man: When Jesse asked Rachel what she’s looking for in her perfect man, she said, ‘Well, someone that is supportive and someone that loves me. Let’s start there’
Challenge: Gabby said that she’s looking for, ‘someone who is emotionally intelligent, mature, who can challenge me’