Bachelor Contestants Who Can't Stand Katie Thurston
Season 25 of The Bachelor has been rife with bullying allegations, name-calling, and now, a full-on scandal involving host Chris Harrison and contestant Rachael Kirkconnell. Seemingly at the center of the season's fighting among contestants was Katie Thurston.
The Bachelor contestant was praised for being sex-positive after bringing a vibrator on her first night, but she quickly turned heads for the wrong reasons after being the so-called "house ethics coordinator" by critics. Even her fellow Bachelor contestants seemed to be over Katie's seemingly righteous affirmations and arguably using bullying tactics to call out other women — like Serena Chew – for doing the same thing.
So when Bachelor spoilers guru Reality Steve tweeted (SPOILER) on Feb. 7, 2021 that Katie was slated to be the next Bachelorette, fans were split over whether she deserved the title. Katie even seemed to deny the news on her Instagram, and fellow Season 25 contestant Mari Pepin simply stated it was "false." The "Women Tell All" reunion episode further proved that Katie isn't particularly well-liked from her former co-stars.
Keep scrolling to find out which Bachelor stars can't stand Katie, and how they addressed her at the "Tell All."
The true Katie drama might 'never come to light'
So maybe Katie Thurston isn't as perfect as she seems. Despite her active social media blocks against body shamers, Katie may be needing a taste of her own medicine. During the "Women Tell All" special, Katie claimed the backlash her co-stars received — including death threats — was "karma" for their actions on screen. Yet fellow Bachelor contestant Mari Pepin argued Katie's true colors weren't captured on TV. "There is a lot that is missing that unfortunately will never come to light," Mari reportedly wrote on Instagram, per Us Weekly. Mari also hinted that Katie was to blame, in part, for the season's drama.
"My comments to Katie had nothing to do with her bringing things to Matt — I commend her for standing up. My comments WERE to do with her mistreatment of Sarah [Trott] and subsequent switch up based on a discussion about their families (not altruism)," Mari concluded (via US Weekly). Chelsea Vaughn and MJ Synder applauded Mari's words.
Viewers got a better sense of Katie unedited during the "Tell All." According to TV Insider, Chelsea pushed Katie to not making sweeping judgments. "Everyone doesn't deserve the attacks that they received online," Chelsea stated. Katie dismissed her, calling Chelsea "blind" since she was friends with the other women. Serena Chew also voiced that she believed Katie "wanted to start a fire" by exaggerating bullying claims.
It seems like Katie doesn't have too many fans from Season 25!