The Bachelorette: 5 Scandals

The Bachelorette is a spin-off of The Bachelor and follows a single woman as she goes on dates with different men. Her goal is to find true love.

Currently, season 21 of The Bachelorette is running, and it is almost at the final stage. Jenn Tran has to choose her groom among the top two, which includes Devin and Marcus.

There have been a lot of scandals in this franchise, ranging from racial insensitivity to claims that the contestants put fame ahead of love. Fans who are so invested in contestants' journeys often discover secrets from the past that bring them to the forefront of public debate.

---

Five biggest scandals in The Bachelorette

1. Rachael Kirkconnell’s racism controversy

Rachael Kirkconnell got a lot of negative feedback during Matt James's season of The Bachelor after photos of her at an antebellum-themed party in 2018 came back online, along with other racist social media posts.

Kirkconnell said she was sorry, admitted what she did was wrong, and said she wanted to learn from her mistake. In an interview with Rachel Lindsay, host Chris Harrison tried to defend her, which made the situation worse and ultimately led to his leaving the franchise.

---

2. Brendan Morais and Pieper James’ paradise drama

Many people were upset when it came out that Brendan Morais and Pieper James were dating before season 7 of The Bachelor in Paradise but pretended they weren't. On the show, Brendan chased after Natasha Parker while playing down his relationship with Pieper.

Upon Pieper's arrival, they found themselves discussing the significant attention they received on social media because they participated in the show. Fans and contestants thought they were being lied to and said they put fame ahead of actual connections. The couple quit the show because of the scandal, and Brendan later said he was sorry and denied that he had meant to mislead others.

---

3. Hannah Brown’s N-word incident in The Bachelorette

Hannah Brown (Image source via Instagram @hannahbrown)

Hannah Brown, the 15th season of The Bachelorette, got a lot of criticism when she was seen using the N-word while singing on Instagram Live in May 2020. Fans were shocked by what happened, and other contestants and people in Bachelor Nation were critical. At first, Brown didn't care about the criticism, but later she said she was sorry, admitted her actions were wrong, and promised to learn more about racial issues.

---

4. Jef Holm’s restraining order against Robby Hayes

Jef Holm, the winner of season 8 of The Bachelorette, received a temporary restraining order against Robby Hayes, another star of Bachelor Nation, in August 2021. Holm said Hayes kept coming into his house without permission and getting angry, making it unsafe.

Holm said that Hayes, who used to be his flatmate, kept bothering him even though they were no longer living together. According to the restraining order, Hayes had to stay at least 100 yards away from Holm, his home, his workplace, and his car.

---

5. Jed Wyatt’s Secret Girlfriend

Jed Wyatt was a contestant on Hannah Brown's season of The Bachelorette. He got into trouble when it came out that he was dating Haley Stevens while he was trying to win Brown's heart. Stevens said they were still together when Wyatt went to the show, and she thought he was only there to promote his music career.

In the finale, Wyatt asks Brown to marry him, but they break up quickly after the truth comes out. Brown broke up the engagement, and fans who thought he was lying about his true intentions condemned Wyatt's actions.

---

The Bachelorette season 21 finale will air on September 3, 2024 on ABC