Tuesday night marked a turning point in Bachelor Nation. No longer is Clayton Echard the "rumored" or "reported" new Bachelor. Now, he is the confirmed new Bachelor. The end of last week's Bachelorette episode teased his future in the series following his departure from Michelle Young's season, and the end of this week's hometowns episode brought the first preview for Clayton's Bachelor season, making things official.
That's right. Rather than confirming the new Bachelor on The Men Tell All or the After the Final Rose special, Clayton's preview just suddenly popped up at the end of the November 30 episode. This is because — unlike with past seasons — it was widely reported that Clayton was the next Bachelor even before Michelle's season started airing. That's why it was a surprise when Clayton didn't have that strong of a connection with Michelle or get all that much screentime or show us much of his personality. As the kicker on the November 23 episode, one of Michelle's students, who had been a guest on the show, was asked what Clayton should do next if he didn't end up with Michelle. They responded that he should be the Bachelor. This was the show's wink to the fact that we all already knew he had the gig.
Now, it's confirmed confirmed with Clayton's preview. So, what's happens in it? A lot of crying, a lot of kissing, and a return to travel. After the recent Bachelor and Bachelorette seasons being more confined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it looks like Clayton and his suitors go to Toronto (the shot of the CN Tower identified that one) and what appears to be a European city (based only on how the buildings look, IDK).
Clayton has a Baywatch-themed group date, makes out with someone in a hot tub, and has some sort of glamorous one-on-one that involves him wearing a tux and his date in a ballgown. "I'm just a midwest guy from Missouri, who just wants to find love, and I believe more than anything that my future wife is here," the 28-year-old medical sales rep says in a voiceover.
Of course, things turn more dramatic, too. There's a ton of crying from the contestants and a potential villain who "will do whatever it takes." We also get the Bachelor/ette trope of the lead threatening to quit. "She fucked it up for everybody," Clayton says. "I'm done. It's over." Spoiler: Unless he has his own fence-jump moment, it's probably not over. Clayton "Him??" Echard's season premieres on January 3.
Image: ABC