The Bachelorette premiere has kicked off and was already packed with drama.
Michelle Young has had issues with not one but two of her men. The first was Ryan Fox whom she sent home after she caught him with detailed notes on how to advance on the show.
The second was Joe Coleman, the real estate developer from Minnesota.
Location was part of the problem for Michelle and Joe.
When he arrived and introduced himself to Michelle, she immediately recognized him and said she thought she knew him.
“Why can’t I place you? Have we met before?” Michelle asked.
Joe then revealed that he’s also from her home state of Minnesota.
As he walked away, the realization hit Michelle as she asked, “Did I slide into your DM’s?!”
All Joe could do in response was smile before he turned back around and walked away.
Michelle confronts Joe about ghosting her
Michelle went to The Bachelorette hosts Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe and spilled the tea.
“[Joe and I] messaged each other back and forth for a bit about basketball but then he ghosted me,” she admitted.
With encouragement from Kaitlyn and Tayshia, Michelle brought up the issue during her one-on-one time with Joe.
He confessed to ghosting her and explained that it was a tough time for him since one of his properties was in the George Floyd square where protests were happening and he was struggling with anxiety.
Michelle expressed that she was also in the area and understood his struggles as a Black woman, so she would’ve understood if he had just explained why he wasn’t ready to keep talking rather than ghosting her.
Joe agreed and apologized. Michelle told him she wants to give him a chance but is hesitant because he “might shut down again.”
Michelle made Joe sweat it out during the rose ceremony. She ended up giving him the last rose, showing that she was willing to give him one last chance.
Michelle may be willing to turn the corner with Joe or giving him the rose might’ve been a move producers encouraged so that the drama could last another week.
Either way, we’ll likely see the Joe drama continue next episode.
The Bachelorette preview teases word getting out about Michelle knowing a contestant before the show
According to the extended preview for the show, the other men begin to question if Michelle knew one of the contestants prior to the show– that contestant likely being Joe.
“A lot of the guys are questioning that you might have known him before you came here,” Jamie tells Michelle during a one-on-one conversation.
The men even speculate that they might have dated prior to coming on the show.
“Do you think they had a previous relationship?” Spencer asks Martin.
Little do they know, the connection they had prior to the show has only put Joe on thin ice rather than help him.
Based on this, it seems like Joe is here to stay. Additionally, the trailer shows Michelle on a one-on-one date at a baseball field and the man with her wears a jersey that says “Coleman,” which is Joe’s last name.
The Bachelorette airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.