ABC Casts First Black ‘Bachelorette’

RACHEL, NICK VIALL
ABC/Mark Coffey

In the most dramatic turn of events in The Bachelor history, ABC has cast its first African-American bachelorette. [Spoiler alert: Stop reading if you don’t want this season of The Bachelor to be ruined.]

Rachel Lindsay, considered a frontrunner on Nick Viall’s season of The Bachelor, will be be the next Bachelorette. The 31-year-old attorney from Texas has captured the hearts of #BachelorNation throughout the season, with many hoping she would win the competition or, as a consolation prize, become the next bachelorette.

Variety reports the announcement was supposed to be made after Monday night’s episode, but spoiler site RealitySteve.com scooped the network. The official announcement will air during Monday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The show’s creator, Mike Fleiss, has been dropping clues about the historic announcement since last week.

ABC and Bachelor/Bachelorette producers have faced intense scrutiny over the franchise’s lack of racial diversity. Lindsay’s selection as the bachelorette will mark the first time an African-American contestant has led either series.The Bachelor is in its twenty-first season, while The Bachelorette has aired 12 seasons. In January of 2016, Bachelor Fleiss told reporters he was actively looking for a woman of color to lead the show.

Fans of the show were quick to show support for Lindsay on Twitter.