ABC Casts First Black Bachelorette with the Announcement of Rachel Lindsay

The Bachelorette just made a big breakthrough for Bachelor Nation, and it’s a long time coming! As network ratings erode, the franchise has been remarkably resilient, and The Bachelor is regularly among the Top 5 most-watched shows in the 18 to 49 demographic.

And even though things apparently didn’t work out with Nick Viall, he still took to Twitter to express how excited he was for her season.

The previous season had only four. She counts Alexis, Raven, Astrid, Sarah, Whitney, Danielle M. and more among her friends from the Bachelor mansion. “No, I’ve never brought home a white guy”, she said. “We’re ready to get this started”.

But we shouldn’t be rooting for Rachel to all-caps FIND LOVE with Bachelor Nick Viall, since that fate carries years of extra reality-TV commitments, stints on Couples Therapy.

After 33 editions of the “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” on ABC – and intense criticism about its lack of diversity – producers have cast the first black star of the popular franchise.

Her appointment not only breaks race barriers for the franchise, but it is also the first time ABC has announced its next star while she or he is still appearing on the season, essentially spoiling part of the ending as to who Viall ultimately picks.

Longtime host Chris Harrison talked about the diversity issue with ET in September. The Bachelor and Bachelorette are meant to be normal, yet unusually attractive, people who can’t find love but truly deserve it ― because they are wiling to “open up”, “be vulnerable” and “go on a journey” which presumably ends with engagement. “I don’t care what anyone looks like”. Plus, an ability to get along with others is always good when you’re dating 25 people. In Fletcher’s season, the viewers saw six non-white contestants. She landed a one-on-one date with Nick in New Orleans and is still in the running. “I’m not the only one left”.

Her chemistry with Nick was undeniable right from the start.

The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. The Bachelorette season 13 premieres on ABC Monday, May 22, at 8 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, the infamous Juan Pablo Galavis is the only ethnically diverse man to lead The Bachelor. There have been 21 seasons of The Bachelor.