More to the story? Clare Crawley appears to be blaming editing for her portrayal on season 16 of The Bachelorette.
The 39-year-old reality star “liked” a series of tweets about her infatuation with Dale Moss, whom she declared was her future husband after he came out of the limo during the October 13 premiere.
“I just also think there’s a possibility that she is giving the other guys a chance (or at least trying) and we’re not seeing it because that wouldn’t fit the Dale-obsessed storyline,” reads one tweet “liked” by Clare after the Tuesday, October 27, episode. “Although their reactions make it clear that if she’s trying, they’re not feeling it.”
Another post approved by Clare states, “People saying that @Clare_Crawley is wasting everyone’s time without realizing that she’s contractually obligated to do so. I would also wager that there are many seasons where the lead talks about their frontrunner just as much, we just don’t see it #BacheloretteABC.”
After Tuesday’s episode aired, ABC executive Robert Mills gave insight into the decision to bring in Tayshia Adams after Clare fell so quickly for Dale, 32. He cited the moment the hairstylist opted not to hand out a group date rose to any of the contestants as the biggest sign of trouble for the show.
“When she didn’t give out that rose and she just gave it to herself, that was it,” Mills told Nick Viall on his “Viall Files” podcast. “That was really it, when we started making the call [to replace her].”
Mills noted that it’s a “shame” Clare, who previously appeared on The Bachelor season 18, Bachelor in Paradise seasons 1 and 2 and Bachelor Winter Games, and Dale weren’t filming one of the ABC spinoffs.
“I started to think, [it’s a shame Clare and Dale aren’t] on Paradise right now. Because it would’ve changed everything,” he said. “They would’ve been able to go off, they would have been there the entire time. … Nothing ever comes easy to Clare. The one time she’s the Bachelorette, she would have been better off in that group setting.”
Mills added that ABC expected Clare might be “unpredictable,” but said producers never thought they’d have to bring in a new lead.
“[Clare] kind of faded out of the spotlight, she was just back in Sacramento, being a hairdresser and she really came into it like, ‘Look, if you guys want me, that’s totally great, I would be honored. I would love it. If not, [I] get it too,’” he recalled about picking her. “As the lead, you have moments where you’re like, ‘I’m done, I’m out.’ … [But production never thought], ‘Oh my God, what if they’ve met this person [early on] and we’ve got to shut this whole thing down.’”
At the end of Tuesday’s episode, fans saw Tayshia, 30, emerge from the pool at La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs. Mills confirmed her journey will begin on a special episode of The Bachelorette, which airs on ABC Thursday, November 5, at 8 p.m. ET.
