The Bachelorette Finally Revealed Its Mystery Contestant
Time for a deep dive.
Katie Thurston is the Season 17 Bachelorette, so let the journey begin. The former Bachelor contestant quickly became a fan-favorite on Matt James' season thanks to her sex positivity and ability to act as the voice of reason in a drama-filled house. All that Bachelor Nation love paid off in a big way, and Katie Thurston's Bachelorette season is shaping up to be one for the books.
When Matt sent Katie home during Week 6 of his Bachelor season, she made it clear her journey to find love was only beginning. "I am who I am, and there's someone out there who wants that," she said in her limo exit. Now, fans can officially witness the next chapter of her search for love as the Season 16 Bachelorette. At March 15's "After the Final Rose" special following Matt's Bachelor finale, Katie was announced as the franchise's newest lead (followed by Michelle Young's Bachelorette Season 18 this fall). "I'm ready to find love, and not just the temporary kind. I'm talking forever, my husband," Katie said during the episode. "I'm in a place in my life where I feel like I'm the best version of me. I've seen [this process] work before. Why shouldn't it work for me?"
Katie is officially handing out roses, so here’s what to know about her season:
Katie's Bachelorette Season Premiere Date
Who doesn’t love some warm weather romance? Katie's season of The Bachelorette premiered on Monday, June 7.
Katie's Bachelorette Season Cast
On May 17, ABC officially introduced the 29 men competing for Katie’s heart, along with one very mysterious box.
Ranging from ages 25 to 36, here are all the contestants:
Aaron, 26
While this San Diego native currently works as an insurance salesman, he has a sporty background: From surfing to being an NCAA swimmer in college, he’s not afraid to break a sweat. He also has an irrational fear of sabertooth tigers, so it’s a good thing they’re extinct.
Andrew M., 31
Andrew M. is a district attorney who hails from Newport Beach, California. While he can be a bit of a prankster, he just wants someone to snuggle with on the beach. Don’t we all, Andrew?
Andrew S., 26
Andrew S. is all about seeing the world. He spends half the year playing professional football in Vienna, Austria, and the other half in Chicago, where he works as a teacher’s assistant and coach. European life has made Andrew appreciate sweeping romantic gestures, so hopefully Katie’s into that.
Austin, 25
Katie is going to have her pick of California boys. Austin is a real-estate investor from Mission Viejo, California, who seems like a pretty low-key guy. Getting a few tattoos and tanning on the beach are at the top of his to-do list.
Brandon, 27
Brandon describes himself as “quirky, intelligent, and unapologetically himself,” which is also an apt description for Katie. The Queens native works as an auto parts manager, but don’t expect him to go all out on a romantic gift. To Brandon, it’s the experiences, not the material items, that really count.
Brendan, 26
Brendan is this season’s resident Canadian and currently spends his days as a Toronto firefighter. He’s also a fan of busting out moves on the dance floor, so Katie could be looking at her future fiancé and dance partner.
Christian, 27
Christian is a Boston real estate agent who’s a big fan of romance and parades (oddly specific, but go off). Like seemingly every Bachelor Nation contestant, his parents have been married since their early 20s and he aspires to find a long-lasting connection like theirs.
Cody, 28
Sales manager Cody hails from San Diego, and at this point, keeping track of all the surfer dudes in Katie’s cast is becoming a tall task. But this beachy guy also knows how to make a woman feel special: Classic romantic gestures like flowers and breakfast in bed are his go-to moves.
Connor B., 29
Connor B. is a middle school math teacher from Nashville who isn’t afraid to embrace his nerdy side. His ABC bio says he has no tolerance for bullying, so he and Katie already have something in common.
Conor C., 28
This former baseball player may be living it up in Costa Mesa, California, but he’s a Midwestern guy at heart who dreams of settling down with the love of his life in the heartland. Conor also shares a birthday with Matthew McConaughey, so let’s hope he’s also rom-com material.
David, 28
David is a proud first-generation New Yorker who recently moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue tech sales. He’s ready to take on the world with a caring, ambitious woman by his side who’s also down to share some savory NYC pizza.
Gabriel, 35
A self-described “Renaissance man,” this Charlotte entrepreneur is looking for a confident woman who loves “intelligent conversations,” so no pressure! Oh, and he hates athleisure.
Garrett, 29
Garrett is a dedicated marketing manager from Salinas, California. Although he’s a “YOLO” guy, don’t let his carefree attitude fool you: He’s ready to find the love of his life.
Greg, 28
Although this New Jersey marketing manager wants at least six kids, he’s eager to travel the world with his wife first. It’s his dream to see LeBron James play basketball, so maybe a sporty date is in Katie’s future.
Hunter, 34
Apart from being a Houston software pro, Hunter is also a devoted dad of two. He’s a romantic who’s looking for a witty woman to love his kids as much as he does.
Jeff, 31
This New Jersey native has an, um, interesting career title: He’s a “skin salesman.” But don’t worry, it’s just surgical skin! Jeff comes from a big Italian family, and since he describes himself as an “exceptional lover,” this guy sure seems ready for Fantasy Suites.
John, 27
When he’s not bartending in Pacific Beach, California, John is a total thrill seeker who’s jumped out of more than a few planes. If there are any daredevil dates this season, he sounds ready to take the plunge.
Josh, 25
Josh is an IT consultant from Miami, and this hopeless romantic loves hard. He also starts celebrating Christmas in October — do with that info what you will.
Justin, 26
If Katie’s looking for an artistic guy, she and Justin will get along just fine. Apart from working as a successful investment salesman, the Baltimore resident is also a super-skilled painter.
Karl, 34
Katie gave plenty of inspirational speeches during her time on Matt’s Bachelor season, so maybe she’ll meet her match in Karl. He’s a motivational speaker from Miami who’s always looking to live life with “a little spice.”
Kyle, 27
Kyle is a technical recruiter from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He dreams of a fairytale kind of love and hopes Katie can be the princess to his Prince Charming.
Landon, 25
After playing college basketball and working toward a career in global business, this Dallas native is ready to settle down. His nickname is “Sunshine” and he’s proud to let viewers know he’s a lifelong Belieber.
Marcus, 31
Marcus is an easy-going Portland real estate guy who says he’s ready to invest in himself for a change (get it?). He’s also a board game aficionado who would love to be Spider-Man for a day.
Marty, 26
Marty is a dancer from Reno, Nevada, who loves to have fun and show off his “rockin’ bod.” His love language is physical touch, so fingers crossed sparks fly between him and Katie.
Michael, 37
This Akron, Ohio, business owner has an even more important job title: He’s a single dad to his 4-year-old son. That explains why he brags about making a mean plate of “dino nuggies.”
Mike, 31
Mike is a former professional baseball player-turned-gym owner who hails from San Diego, California. Even though he dreams of visiting over 100 countries one day, he occasionally refers to himself as “basic.”
Quartney, 27
Quartney is a nutrition professional and line-dancing enthusiast from Dallas, Texas. According to his bio, he is “not afraid to make a spectacle,” so there’s a good chance his limo entrance will feature a gimmick to remember.
Thomas, 28
This real estate broker hails from Powaway, California, and he’s ready to find his other half. He’s also a major foodie, so Katie can look forward to some delicious date nights if he receives her final rose.
Tre, 26
Tre is a software engineer from Covington, Georgia, who dreams of having a big, loving family. Maybe it’s a good thing Katie’s season won’t feature any tropical travel, though: Tre is terrified of piranhas.
James (aka “Box Guy”)
There have been plenty of wild limo entrance gimmicks over the years, but James choosing to introduce himself by springing out of a mysterious box might just take the cake. IRL, the 31-year-old is a software engineer who’s based in San Diego, California. Sparks flew between him and Katie right away, so if James ends up becoming the first box to win The Bachelorette, I’m cool with that.
The Bachelorette continues Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
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