A tale as old as time. Bachelorette contestant Thomas Jacobs has been accused of going on Katie Thurston’s season to further his career — and the season 17 cast isn’t letting him get away with it.
In a promo for the upcoming Monday, June 21, episode of The Bachelorette, Aaron Clancy accuses Thomas, 28, of going on the series “for a platform.”
After Hunter Montgomery asks, “Have you ever thought, ‘Maybe, I could end up being the Bachelor?’”
Thomas replies, ”Yes, that was a thought that was on my mind.”
In another clip, the real estate broker declares, “I’m willing to do anything it takes, including throwing out the ‘love’ word.”
Katie, meanwhile, shares a kiss with Thomas during a solo moment at the end of the clip, gushing, “I’m just happy you’re here.”
The former banking manager was brought to tears during the June 14 episode of the series after Karl Smith claimed several unnamed suitors weren’t on the show for the right reasons. Katie also sent Cody Menk packing after Aaron suggested that he didn’t have pure intentions.
“[You have to] hit it head-on,” cohost Tayshia Adams told Us Weekly about the drama. “If you don’t feel like, you know, guys are putting their best foot forward and then the behind-the-scenes things are being said, hit it head-on and deal with it right at the beginning. Because you don’t want [it to be] four weeks in when all these other guys had gone home and you’re still dealing with this issue. Do it as soon as you can and get the guys that are really there for the right reasons to be there.”
Cohost Kaitlyn Bristowe agreed, hinting that Katie isn’t messing around. “What’s nice about Katie is that she did take that advice and she did address it,” the season 11 lead told Us. “And it wasn’t like, ‘Well, let me have a conversation with this person.’ Like, go straight to the source and let’s figure this out. We’ve got love to find.”
Katie’s journey to find The One is just getting started, but she’s dropped several ominous hints about the ending.
“I’m scared, you know, reliving those connections or heartbreak, that’s going to be tough,” she told Us earlier this month, noting she’s “happy” with how the show plays out. “I’ve come to learn that everything happens for a reason. And that being said, I am happy, yes.”
The Bachelorette airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
