The eighteenth season of '' The Bachelorette'' premiered on October 19, 2021. This season features 28-year-old Michelle Young, an elementary school teacher from Woodbury, Minnesota. Young was the runner-up on the 25th season of '' The Bachelor'' featuring Matt James. The season concluded on December 21, 2021, with Young accepting a proposal from 27-year-old sales executive Nayte Olukoya. They announced their breakup on June 17, 2022.

Production

Casting and contestants

Young was announced as the Bachelorette by Emmanuel Acho during the ''After the Final Rose'' special of the 25th season of '' The Bachelor'' on March 15, 2021. The cast includes offensive guard

Bryan Witzmann Bryan Witzmann (born June 16, 1990) is an American football offensive guard who is a free agent. He played college football at South Dakota State University. He was a contestant on The Bachelorette. Professional career Houston Texans Witzmann s ...

; undrafted tight end Clayton Echard; 2011

Minnesota Mr. Basketball Minnesota Mr. Basketball is an annual award recognizing excellence in Minnesota boys' high school basketball. The female equivalent is Minnesota Miss Basketball. The award's legitimacy was challenged in February 2017 when Henry Sibley, Minnesota h ...

award winner Joe Coleman; and LT Murray IV, grandson of actor

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

Filming and development

On August 2, 2021, it was reported that former ''Bachelorettes'' Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe were set to return as co-hosts for the eighteenth season. As with the last three American ''Bachelor Nation'' editions, which were filmed in a bio-secure bubble due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this season started production on July 30, 2021 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa at the

Coachella Valley , map_image = Wpdms shdrlfi020l coachella valley.jpg , map_caption = Coachella Valley , location = California, United States , coordinates = , width = , boundaries = Salton Sea (southeast), Santa Rosa Mountains (southwest), San Jacint ...

in Indian Wells, California. Some quarantine restrictions were lifted halfway through the season, the cast and crew were allowed to leave the bubble with limited amount of travel from one location to another including Young's home state of Minnesota. The cast and crew were valid proof of requirement of vaccination status. For the first time since the fifteenth season, the season was able to leave the United States, as both overnight dates and last chance dates returned to its standard format and took place in Mexico with COVID safety precautions in place. Country music singer

Caroline Jones Caroline Jones (born June 30, 1990) is an American country music singer, songwriter and radio host. Jones has released a number of albums, the most successful one being ''Bare Feet''. Her most recent album, ''Antipodes'', was released on Novemb ...

, WNBA players Dearica Hamby and Diamond DeShields, actors Glen Powell and

Jay Ellis Wendell Ramone "Jay" Ellis Jr. (born December 27, 1981) is an American actor. In 2013, Ellis received his first major role on BET's series ''The Game (American TV series), The Game''. He is a main cast member on HBO's series ''Insecure (TV serie ...

, spoken word poet

Rudy Francisco Rudy K. Francisco (born July 27, 1982) is an American spoken word poet and writer. He has won several poetry slams and written six books of poetry: ''Getting Stitches'', ''Scratch'', ''No Gravity'', ''No Gravity Part II'', ''Helium'', and ''I'll ...

, professional wrestlers Nikki and Brie Bella, and musician Andy Grammer made guest appearances this season. On December 21, 2021, the day of the season finale, Adams revealed she had been exposed to COVID-19 and was not able to host the live finale and ''After the Final Rose'' special. This left Bristowe to be the sole host. Due to the potential COVID-19 resurgence, audiences must present a negative PCR test and wear masks for the duration of the show.

Contestants

35 potential contestants were revealed on July 26, 2021. The final cast of 30 men was announced on September 27, 2021.

Future appearances

''The Bachelor''

Clayton Echard was chosen as the lead for the 26th season of ''The Bachelor'' shortly after the completion of filming of ''The Bachelorette''.

''Bachelor in Paradise''

Season 8 Brandon Jones, Casey Woods, Olu Onajide, Peter Izzo, Rick Leach, Rodney Mathews, and Romeo Alexander returned for season 8 of '' Bachelor in Paradise''. Alexander left in a relationship with Kira Mengistu in week 2. Woods and Izzo quit in week 2. Leach and Onajide were eliminated in week 3. Mathews split from Eliza Isichei in week 5. Jones got engaged to Serene Russell in week 6. Season 9 Will Urena returned for season 9 of '' Bachelor in Paradise''. He was eliminated in week 2.

''Bachelor in Paradise Canada''

Season 2 Garrett Aida and Edward Naranjo returned for season 2 of ''Bachelor in Paradise Canada''. Naranjo was eliminated in week 4. Aida left in a relationship with Meagan Morris in week 6.

Call-out order

: : The contestant received the first impression rose : The contestant received a rose during a date : The contestant was eliminated : The contestant was eliminated during a date : The contestant was eliminated outside the rose ceremony : The contestant won the competition

Episodes

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bachelorette (American season 18), The 2021 American television seasons The Bachelorette (American TV series) seasons Television series impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Television shows filmed in California Television shows filmed in Minnesota Television shows filmed in Mexico