The Bachelor break is finally over and the hit series will return tonight with a familiar face making a guest appearance.
While Jesse Palmer has taken the reigns as host of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette co-host Kaitlyn Bristowe will be showing up to help Clayton Echard find his true love as well.
Kaitlyn Bristowe facilitates a vulnerable group date
The Bachelor released a preview for its upcoming episode that highlights Kaitlyn Bristowe’s involvement during a group date.
In the preview, Clayton greets his bevy of women as he expresses his eagerness to take his relationships to the next level and practice more vulnerability with the ladies.
As the ladies enter the building for their group date, they’re greeted by a woman cloaked in darkness as she sits at the center of a circle of chairs.
The women then realize the mysterious figure is Kaitlyn Bristowe who knows quite a bit about all facets of The Bachelor franchise after being a contestant on The Bachelor, a former Bachelorette lead, and current co-host of The Bachelorette series.
The ladies are all shocked to see The Bachelorette star as they join her in the circle. Kaitlyn explains that she’s here to “make sure Clayton knows as much as he can about each and every one of you.”
The preview concludes with Kaitlyn asking the ladies if they’re ready to get started as they share anxious looks.
The Bachelor copies a group date from The Bachelorette
If The Bachelor’s preview with Kaitlyn Bristowe looks familiar, it’s likely because Katie Thurston had a very similar setup for a group date during her season of The Bachelorette.
The Bachelorette Season 17 viewers will recall a group date during Katie’s season where former Bachelor Nick Viall made a guest appearance and encouraged the men to open up about times when they fell short or did wrong in their previous relationships.
Most notably, Katie opened up about a vulnerable wound from her past relationship as she bravely addressed sexual assault.
The telling group date welcomed depth and a nice change of pace from the more lighthearted group dates. It seems The Bachelor took note and is following in The Bachelorette’s footsteps.
While it’s not yet known exactly what Kaitlyn will ask the ladies to share, it’s likely this group date will push them to get open about the raw and hidden parts of their past and relationships.
Tune in to see how Clayton and the women navigate this vulnerable group date and to see Kaitlyn Bristowe make a return to the franchise.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.