Charity Lawson, a contestant on Zach Shallcross' season of The Bachelor, may not have received the final rose, but she now holds the power of the flower as the newly appointed leading lady of ABC's dating reality show, The Bachelorette.
Charity Lawson's time on The Bachelor came to a close during the highly anticipated hometown episode. She introduced Zach Shallcross to her family and expressed she was "honestly falling in love" with him. However, her affection was not reciprocated. Zach explained:
"You deserve all the love. I couldn't give it to you."
Zach stated that it was a difficult decision for him to send her home after the rose ceremony. He said:
"The hardest decision I've had to make."
The Bachelorette season 20 starring Charity Lawson
During the Women Tell All special, host Jesse Palmer surprised Charity with an offer to become the next Bachelorette. Overwhelmed with emotion, she tearfully accepted the sought-after opportunity, exclaiming,
"Absolutely! 100 percent! I've waited forever to find the love of my life. It blows my mind that I could meet my person and be engaged and literally have my happily ever after."
Charity's journey to find true love now continues as the new star of The Bachelorette season 20.
In May 2023, ABC released a teaser of Charity Lawson's upcoming season of The Bachelorette. Set to the tune of Mariah Carey's 1995 hit Fantasy, the sneak peek clip showcased Charity walking through a lavish rose garden, making her way toward a grand golden throne. The teaser gave fans a taste of the romantic and dramatic moments that await them in the new season.
Charity Lawson, the new star of The Bachelorette season 20, is a Georgia native and a therapist. She graduated from Auburn University and is passionate about advocating for mental health. Lawson loves to travel and is looking for a partner who values honesty and empathy, and shares her interests in dogs, thrifting, and tailgating. With her genuine nature and adventurous spirit, she is ready to find love on The Bachelorette.
Fan speculations surrounding Charity Lawson'd Edit and selection as The Bachelorette
As with any reality TV show, speculations and theories arise about the editing and behind-the-scenes decisions. In the case of Charity Lawson's journey on The Bachelor and her subsequent selection as The Bachelorette, some fans have speculated that she may have received a favorable edit from the producers.
It is not uncommon for producers to have an idea of who they want to choose as the next lead when new seasons of The Bachelor begin. This can influence the editing process and create animosity among the contestants. Some fans have stated that the chosen lead often receives special treatment from the beginning, which could include more favorable editing and additional attention from producers.
Fans on Reddit claimed that in Charity's case, her long stretch of time spent dating Zach Shallcross could be attributed to both her genuine connection with him and the producers' desire to showcase her to the audience.
“I am friends with a few people from the franchise and can confirm it’s true that often they have the next lead picked,” a fan shared.
By keeping her in the top four, fans had the opportunity to get to know her better and potentially root for her as The Bachelorette.
Charity Lawson's journey on The Bachelor season 27 may not have ended with a final rose, but it led to an exciting opportunity as the new Bachelorette. Watch The Bachelorette season 20 on June 26 at 9 pm ET on ABC.