Shutterstock; ABC
Kaitlyn Bristowe Calls Out Editing Error After Bachelor Zach Shallcross Diagnosed With COVID-19
Spill the tea! Bachelor Nation alum Kaitlyn Bristowe called out an apparent editing error during the February 20 episode of The Bachelor amid leading man Zach Shallcross getting diagnosed with COVID-19.
“When they show B-roll of Zach, and he really doesn’t look like he’s doing too bad despite the dramatic footage of him blowing his nose — you remember him?” the former Bachelorette star, 37, said about her “big, insider scoop” during on her podcast, “Off the Vine,” on Thursday, February 23. “He’s, like, in his hotel room, in the bed, blowing his nose, he’s got a little fake cup of tea. That’s a hotel in L.A.”
During the episode, all of Zach’s interactions with his contestants were virtual because the leading man, 26, tested positive for coronavirus while the cast was in London.
“It’s the hotel they always put all of their people in when we do, like, [After the] Final Rose or the Women Tell All, Men Tell All,” Kaitlyn, who has appeared as a contestant on The Bachelor, leading lady on The Bachelorette and served as Bachelor Nation host, continued. “That’s where they stay, in this, like, very specific bed that has writing on the back.”
The Canadian native theorized that production needed extra shots of Zach laying in bed to edit together the episode — and most likely filmed them somewhat recently.
“They must have had to be like, ‘Oh s–t, we need some B-roll of Zach looking sick,’” Kaitlyn hypothesized. “And so, then, he’s back in L.A., and they’re like, ‘Can we just get you blowing your nose and, like, holding a cup of tea in the hotel room?’”
Editing error aside, fans were left wanting with the virtual aspects of the episode. Zach himself received backlash from fans after an awkward conversation with Greer Blitzer. The pair were talking via video chat when the contestant tried to empathize with him about his illness.
“I had COVID at the end of the quarter during year-end, so it messed with my career in sales,” the Texas native, 24, who works as a medical sales rep, told Zach during their date. “I know how you feel missing out on things.”
The leading man quipped back, “I think me missing out on finding a wife is slightly more important than [a sales quarter].”
Greer attempted to backtrack, expressing that she wasn’t trying to belittle his feelings, but their date ended on an awkward note. Despite the misunderstanding, she still received a rose during the virtual ceremony.
While neither person has directly addressed the encounter that set the internet ablaze, Greer seemingly subtly shaded Zach via Instagram.
“Women who care about their careers are hot,” she captioned a selfie via Instagram on February 21.
