Get ready, Bachelor Nation, because The Bachelorette 2021 spoilers for Katie’s winner are wild. As fans know, Katie Thurston, a 30-year-old bank marketing manager from Renton, Washington, is the season 17 Bachelorette.

Katie was a contestant on The Bachelor season 25 with Matt James and was eliminated in 10th place, which makes her one of the earliest Bachelor or Bachelorette eliminee to become the lead of her own season. Katie was announced as the season 17 Bachelorette at the The Bachelor season 25 “After the Final Rose” special in March. However, Katie won’t be the only Bachelorette in 2021. Michelle Young, a 27-year-old teacher from Edina, Minnesota, was also announced as the season 18 Bachelorette. (Her season will premiere later this year.)

But back to Katie. In her Bachelor bio for Matt’s season, Katie said that she wants a man who is as “daring and adventurous” as she is. “Katie knows exactly what she wants in a man and is done wasting her time on boys who won’t live up to her expectations,” her bio read. “She is a witty storyteller who says when she finds someone worth committing to, she is the most loving and committed partner anyone could ask for. Katie is daring and adventurous.”

Her bio continued, “While Katie is serious about finding her person, she needs a man who can laugh along with her but is okay with him laughing at her too when the moment calls for it. Katie is looking for a mature man who has ambitions to succeed in everything he does, both personally and professionally. Her dream man will be passionate about building a long-term life with her and will treat Katie as his equal in the relationship. Nothing turns her off more than someone who sits around playing video games all day or a man who tries to kiss her at the inopportune moment … it’s all about creating the right vibe with Katie!”

One of Katie’s most memorable moments on Matt’s Bachelor season was when she gave Matt her vibrator as part of her limo entrance. Before her Bachelorette season, Katie was also a famous TikToker under the now-defunct username @ventwithkatie. One of her most popular videos was a storytime where she talked about the time she had sex with a ghost. Katie filmed season 16 of The Bachelorette from the beginning of March to the end of April at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa in New Mexico. Instead of Chris Harrison, her season was hosted by season 16 Bachelorette Tayshia Adams and season 11 Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe.

“Katie was in control and made sure the men she wanted were there and the men she wasn’t interested in, she sent packing,” a source told Us Weekly in April. “[Filming] went great and it wrapped a week ahead of schedule.” The source continued, “Tayshia and Kaitlyn can relate to Katie’s journey in a lot of different ways, which you’ll see play out, so it was nice to have them there to help out with whatever situation came up. Tayshia had fun and loved doing it. She and Katilyn made a great team.”

Though she didn’t confirm whether she’s single or engaged, Katie told E! News in June that she planned to watch her Bachelorette season alone—without her winner. “I mean, single or engaged, I would be watching this alone,” she said. “I can’t watch it with my family or my friends, seeing myself make out with all these guys. I just need to be alone and embrace it and process it myself.”

So that’s what’s to know about Katie’s season and what man she’s looking for. Ahead are all The Bachelorette 2021 spoilers about Katie’s winner fans need to know about what may be the most dramatic (and sex-positive) season of The Bachelorette yet.

James Is in the Night One Box

Before The Bachelorette season 17 premiere, ABC teased a box on its website, which listed the box among Katie’s contestants. Other than a photo of a present with a red ribbon, the word “Box” and question marks, ABC didn’t provide any clues as to who was in the box. In the season 17 trailer, the box could also be heard telling Katie, “I’m looking for the Bachelorette.” So who is in the night one box? The contestant in the box is James Bonsall, a 30-year-old from San Diego, California, according to Reality Steve. James was one of.the 30-plus men The Bachelorette posted on its Facebook in April. But when the show released the official list of contestants in May, James wasn’t there, even though he privated his social media like other contestants on Katie’s season. Well, now we know the reason why. James shows up in a box on night one as a surprise contestant for Katie.

Greg Gets the First Impression Rose

Greg Grippo, a 27-year-old marketing sales representative from Edison, New Jersey, gets Katie’s First Impression Rose. Though it hasn’t happened every season, many Bachelorette contestants who receive the First Impression Rose go on to win their seasons. (Examples: Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth on season 11; JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers on season 12; Rachel Lindsay and Bryan Abasolo on season 13; Becca Kufrin and Garrett Yrigoyen on season 14; Clare Crawley and Dale Moss on season 16.) According to Reality Steve, Greg also makes it to Katie’s final four.

As for his background, Greg graduated from Saint Michael’s College in 2016 with a degree in business administration and management. Greg—along with Karl—was originally cast for season 16 of The Bachelorette with Clare before Katie’s season but didn’t make the final cut, according to Reality Steve.

Blake Moynes Is a Surprise Contestant

Blake Moynes, a contestant from season 16 of The Bachelorette with Clare Cawley and Tayshia Adams, is a surprise suitor on Katie’s Bachelorette season. According to Reality Steve, Blake, a 30-year-old from Ontario, Canada, makes it to Katie’s final four, which is farther than he made it on Clare and Tayshia’s Bachelorette season. On season 16, Blake was eliminated in ninth place after a one-on-one date with Tayshia right before Hometown Dates.

Blake was first seen on Katie’s Bachelorette set in March. In April, Bachelor alums Ashley Iaconetti and Ben Higgins confirmed on their podcast, “Almost Famous,” that they received photos of Blake filming The Bachelorette. “A lot of you were speculating because of his silence on social media over the last week or so that perhaps he joined the season,” Ashley said at the time. “We here exclusively have got the pictures to prove it. We did it. We confirmed it.” Ben added. “Ashley crawled underneath the gate, walked through the resort, grabbed a couple of iPhone photos and came back to the studio just to give us this update.”

One photo shared on the podcast’s Instagram show Blake walking behind a tree with a face mask on. A second picture showed him filming something with cameras and crew around him. A third snap showed Blake behind a crew truck. At this time, it’s unclear if Blake is a contestant on Katie’s season or just made a cameo. “If he’s just been spotted now, if he’s entering late, he’s not entering too late,” Ashley said, noting that the first episode was filmed on March 22. “He’s probably entering after the third rose ceremony. I would say this looks like he’s going onto a one-on-one or he’s just entering.”

Katie & Blake Talked Before The Bachelorette

Katie told Us Weekly in June that she and Blake met before The Bachelorette, but didn’t establish a relationship until the show. “I definitely knew who he was, which also Tayshia’s ex-boyfriend! So that’s weird,” she said. “We had chatted before, but usually what happens is, like, the guys will reach out to the women once they’re eliminated and be like, ‘Good luck, you did great.’ Like very generic, you know? And so to see him, I was like, ‘Why is he here?’ Like, ‘What’s happening?’”

She teased of Blake’s appearance, “I mean, we have to see if that’s even why he’s there. Like I said, he’s Tayshia’s ex-boyfriend, so I don’t know what’s happening.”

Thomas Is the Villain

Every Bachelorette season needs a villain, and Thomas Jacobs, a 28-year-old real estate broker from Poway, California, is this season’s bad guy. According to Reality Steve, Thomas ruffled feathers at the start of the season after he received an early rose, which made him look like one of Katie’s favorites. That didn’t seem to go over well with the other contestants. According to Reality Steve, Thomas is eliminated in episode 3 or 4.

Karl Was Almost on Clare & Tayshia’s Bachelorette Season

Like Greg, Karl Smith, a 34-year-old motivational speaker from Miami, Florida, was almost cast on season 16 of The Bachelorette with Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams but didn’t make the final cut, according to Reality Steve. As for his job, Karl is the founder of the company Next Level Success.

“Karl Smith is the CEO/ Founder of Next Level Success,” Karl wrote on his website, ksmithinspires.com. “He empowers entrepreneurs and business professionals with the knowledge, tools and resources to take their businesses to the next level and create even more success. For over 10 years he’s provided live training events and coaching programs to help his clients improve in the areas of leadership development, business strategy, and financial education. He’s worked with small business owners, home business owners, and even major corporations to create the breakthroughs necessary to increase sales, revenue, and profits. Karl’s mission is to empower the next generation of business leaders worldwide and to help them attain results they never thought possible.”

Brendan & Blake Are Best Friends

Brendan Scanzano and Blake Moynes are best friends, according to Reality Steve, so expect some moments between them on Katie’s Bachelorette season. Brendan is a 26-year-old firefighter trainee from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Blake, who is also from Ontario, was a contestant on season 16 of The Bachelorette with Tayshia Adams and Clare Crawley. He was eliminate in ninth place and came in as a surprise contestant on Katie’s season.

Aaron & Cody Have a Feud

One of the feuds on Katie’s season is between Aaron Clancy, a 26-year-old insurance agent, and Cody Menk, a 27-year-old zipper sales manager. According to Reality Steve, both Aaron and Cody live in San Diego and run in the same friend circle. Though they don’t know each other well, Aaron told Katie that Cody is a party guy and isn’t on The Bachelorette for the right reasons. When Cody found out, he confronted Aaron and the two had an altercation. According to Reality Steve, Cody was eliminated in that moment or at the next rose ceremony. Aaron was eliminated one or two episodes after Cody’s elimination.

There’s a Group Date Where the Men Show Their Sex Moves

There’s no doubt that Katie is sex positive. For her limo entrance on The Bachelor season 25 with Matt James, she brought a vibrator, which was referenced in her Bachelorette season’s tagline: “See what the buzz is all about.” One of her contestants, Cody Menk, a 27-year-old zipper sales manager from San Diego, California, also brings a blow-up doll for his limo entrance. According to Reality Steve, Katie’s sex positivity led ABC to plan a group date on her season where the men show their “sex moves.” And this is just one of many sex-themed dates and references on Katie’s season.

Greg Is an Actor

Source: Instagram

Before Katie’s Bachelorette season, Greg was already in controversy. In April, the celebrity gossip Instagram account @DeuxMoi received an anonymous submission calling Greg a “manipulative liar” and an “actor.” “Greg G is a manipulative liar and actor on Katie’s season of the Bachelorette. He cleaned up his social media/Linkedin and removed all evidence of his aspiring acting career the past few years,” the submission read.

The anonymous source claimed that Greg attended William Esper Acting School from 2017 to 2019. In 2019, Greg posted an Instagram photo of himself in front of the William Esper Acting School celebrating his graduation. “What a journey. Forever grateful for these last two years @esperstudio,” he wrote in the caption.

In their @DeuxMoi submission, the source called Greg a “total ego-obsessed diva in class” and alleged that he wasn’t on The Bachelorette for the right reasons.”He is not on the show for love, let alone Katie, and his appearance on this show is solely to promote / kick-start his acting career,” the source wrote. @DeuxMoi’s source also claims that Greg has been living at his mother’s house since he graduated from college and “never had a real job up until recently likely because he needed a bio for the show.”

In June, @DeuxMoi received a second anonymous tip from a source who claimed to be a friend of someone who dated one of Katie’s Bachelorette contestants. Though the source didn’t name Greg, many assume that the submission was about Katie’s frontrunner because of they describe him as an “actor.” “My best friend dated a fan favorite contestant on The Bachelorette very seriously for a year and a half and he was awful to her. This sweet shy boy act is exactly that, AN ACT,” the source wrote. “He really is actually an actor. I’ve personally witnessed him throw a fit and call her a terrible name for wearing a mini dress, so I can only imagine what happened behind closed doors.”

The source also described her friend and the contestant’s alleged breakup. “He broke up with her, she was extremely upset and then made her Uber an hour back to her apartment alone at 1am,” the source wrote. “We watched our kind, confident friend turn into a shell of herself and then get thrown to the curb. Of course his social media is perfectly curated now, he has an image to protect.”

@DeuxMoi’s source also claimed that the contestant believed to be Greg e-mailed The Bachelorette‘s producers while he was still in a relationship. “Oh and he had been emailing with producers for the show while they were dating; this exposure was always part of his plan to launch his career so whoever wrote that first post is on point,” the source wrote, referencing the previous @DeuxMoi submission.

It’s important to note that @DeuxMoi is an un-fact-checked Instagram account, so neither of these submissions are confirmed. Though, from a look at Greg’s Instagram account, it’s at least confirmed that he’s an aspiring actor and attended William Esper Acting School.

John Is Eliminated Before the Top 8

John Hersey, a 27-year-old bartender from Pacific Beach, California, was rumored to be Katie’s winner. The rumors started in April when Katie posted on her Instagram that she went to Duke’s in La Jolla, California, where John worked as a bartender. This led fans to believe that Katie chose John at the Final Rose Ceremony. Well, according to Reality Steve, Katie and John are not together and he doesn’t even make it to her top eight.

Michael Eliminates Himself

Michael, a 36-year-old business owner from Akron, Ohio, eliminates himself, according to Reality Steve. Michael’s wife, Laura, died in 2019 and he started an organization, L4 Project, in her honor. Since his wife’s death, Michael has been a single dad to his and Laura’s son. According to Reality Steve, Michael eliminates himself in the episode before Hometown Dates to be with his son after coming to the conclusion that he isn’t one of Katie’s frontrunners.

The Final 4

According to Reality Steve, Katie’s final four who make it to Hometown Dates are Justin Glaze, a 26-year-old investment sales consultant from Baltimore, Maryland; Andrew Spencer, a 26-year-old pro football player from Vienna, Austria; Greg Grippo, a 27-year-old marketing sales representative from Edison, New Jersey; and Blake Moynes, a 30-year-old from Ontario, Canada. Blake was a contestant on The Bachelorette season 16 with Tayshia Adams and Clare Crawley and was eliminated in ninth place. Greg received Katie’s First Impression Rose. He also was almost cast on Tayshia and Clare’s Bachelorette season but didn’t make the final cut.

Katie Is Engaged

Yes, Katie is engaged to her Bachelorette winner and was proposed to at her Final Rose Ceremony, according to Reality Steve. The site also confirmed that Katie was still with her winner as of May.

Michelle’s Bachelorette Will Premiere in the Fall

Katie isn’t the only 2021 Bachelorette. At Matt James’ season 25 “After the Final Rose” ceremony in March, Michelle Young, a 27-year-old teacher from Edina, Minnesota, was also announced as the season 18 Bachelorette. According to Reality Steve, Michelle will film her Bachelorette season in July. Michelle’s season will air after both Katie’s Bachelorette season and Bachelor in Paradise season 7 (which premieres on August 16 and started filming in June) in the fall.

Chris Harrison Won’t Host Michelle’s Bachelorette Season

After his racism scandal involving Rachael Kirkconnell on season 25 of The Bachelor, ABC decided not to have Chris Harrison host The Bachelorette season 17 with Katie. Instead, the season was hosted by season 16 Bachelorette Tayshia Adams and season 11 Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe. According to Us Weekly, Harrison also won’t host Michelle’s Bachelorette season. Season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise also won’t be hosted by Harrison and will also be hosted by a rotating roster of celebrities such as David Spade.

The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Bachelor Nation by Amy Kaufman

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To get more of an inside scoop, check out Los Angeles Times writer Amy Kaufman’s book, Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure, for a deep dive into the Bachelor franchise. The book uncovers the secrets of Bachelor Nation, from how much the Bachelor and the Bachelorette are paid to the rules contestants have to follow, that producers don’t want fans to know. It’s a must-read for any Bachelor Nation member.

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