Michelle Young handed out roses to her final four — and said goodbye to Clayton Echard — on the Tuesday, November 23, episode of The Bachelorette, and Us Weekly is breaking it all down on the “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast.
Us confirmed in September that Clayton, 28, landed the role as the season 26 Bachelor after filming the 28-year-old teacher’s season 18 of The Bachelorette. As Michelle’s season started airing, some fans wondered whether they were missing something as the former football player didn’t necessarily stand out. During Tuesday’s episode, Clayton scored his first one-on-one date.
While Michelle admitted on the date that he wasn’t The One for her, she spoke highly of Clayton during a recent interview with Us.
“With this process, I think just so many of the men challenge themselves to open up and Clayton was a guy who really challenges — truly challenges — himself,” Michelle said on the Wednesday, November 24, episode of Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast. “And [he] is always in this constant state of reflection. He has a good head on his shoulders.”
ABC has yet to officially confirm Clayton’s role as the Bachelor, but host Jesse Palmer has shared footage filming with the Missouri native.
Martin Gelbspan was also sent packing ahead of Tuesday’s rose ceremony after the fitness trainer was caught talking behind Michelle’s back. The week prior, the twosome had a tense moment when Martin referred to women as “high maintenance.”
“[There’s] not necessarily anything that I would continue [to] speak on [regarding Martin],” Michelle told Us. “Just that, you know, social standards and things that we place on both genders — and for me, it’s important that the person that I’m with is able to see me as a level playing field.”
When it comes to the upcoming Men Tell All, Michelle added that she’s ready to check back in and see “some of these people that I really did connect with.”
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For a complete recap of Tuesday’s episode, and the biggest stories of the week in Bachelor Nation, listen to Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast.