ABC
The Bachelor’s Rachel Nance Responds to Haters Who Think Joey Should’ve Kept Maria Instead of Her
Rachel Nance learned just how hateful fans of The Bachelor can be after the show’s March 4 episode. Joey Graziadei gave Rachel a rose and eliminated Maria Georgas following hometown dates and many viewers made it clear that they didn’t agree with the decision.
Despite seeing many hurtful comments about why Joey, 28, should’ve kept Maria, 29, instead of her, Rachel, 27, looked back on her hometown date with fondness. “Holding onto these beautiful moments despite what anyone says,” she captioned a still from the episode on Instagram. In the scene, she was speaking to her dad and told him, “You are the number one man in my life.”
In addition to Rachel, Joey also gave roses to Daisy Kent and Kelsey Anderson at the March 4 rose ceremony. Their love stories will continue on the Monday, March 11, episode when they all head to Mexico for fantasy suites week.
Although Maria was often at the center of drama during her time on The Bachelor, she became a fan favorite because of her no-nonsense and confident attitude. Since Rachel has been a bit more reserved on the show, fans seemingly didn’t become as invested in her relationship with Joey. At the rose ceremony during hometown dates week, Rachel also questioned Maria when the Canada native pulled Joey aside right before he handed out the roses. Many viewers were upset with Rachel for calling Maria out, and they let her know it in their social media comments.
Charity Lawson, who was the lead of The Bachelorette season 20 in 2023, defended Rachel from the critics on March 5. “The comments to Rachel after hometowns are extremely weird,” she wrote. “1. It’s a show relax 2. you don’t have to tear someone down to support the person you are rooting for more (it’s giving mean girl energy, the same energy y’all was wilding about earlier this season). With that being said, this was a great hometown episode and truly an amazing final 4. Rooting for love and happiness for all these girls.”
Kelsey, 25, also jumped to the defense of her Bachelor castmate. “There is no need to tear other women down,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “Women empowerment in these shows is so important. We are all so different and that is such a beautiful thing. Let’s embrace our differences and let them make us shine even more.”
During fantasy suites week, Joey will have one-on-one dates with the three remaining women. Each couple will also get to decide whether they want to forego their individual rooms and spend the night together in the fantasy suite. The tennis instructor will then have to send one more woman home before his final dates with the last two women.
