Bachelor Nation’s Sydney Lotuaco joins Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast to break down the Tuesday, November 30, episode of The Bachelorette, including the first promo of Clayton Echard’s upcoming season of The Bachelor.
“It reminded me of Colton’s season,” Sydney, who appeared on Colton Underwood’s season 23 of the ABC series, began of Clayton’s teaser. “He cries too — that was the thing that Colton was very open with, which was great. And Clayton seemed to be open with those emotions as well. It just felt very similar.”
Clayton, a 28-year-old former football player from Missouri, appeared on Michelle Young’s season of The Bachelorette earlier this year. Us confirmed he was the season 26 star before the season even began airing. Colton, a 29-year-old former football player from Illinois, was the lead in 2018. Sydney noted on the Wednesday, December 1, episode of the “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast that both leads posed with puppies in their promo pics too.
“Colton’s whole thing was puppies! Constant puppies,” the “Something to Share” podcast host quipped, adding that the only moment that stood out from Clayton’s time on Michelle’s season was him with her students. “Which is great, but can that sell an entire season? I don’t know. Unless we just have kids around all the time for his season. Kids and puppies. I mean, I would watch that. That is so genuine. But from the trailer … [it’s] just women screaming at each other the whole time.”
While Clayton confirmed on Good Morning America on Wednesday that he found “love” while shooting his season, which recently wrapped production, Colton ended season 23 with Cassie Randolph. The twosome called it quits in the spring of 2020 and the following year, he came out as gay. The revelation came five months after Cassie dropped her restraining order, in which she accused him of stalking and harassment, against her ex-boyfriend.
Colton’s ups and downs are documented on his six-episode Netflix series, Coming Out Colton, which starts streaming on Friday, December 3.
“I don’t really know what it’s going to be. I’m kind of interested to see, so I may watch just for that purpose alone. Just to see what happens. But I’m sure there will be a lot of talk around this documentary,” Sydney told Us, noting it’s “very layered” due to Colton’s past.
Sydney added that she was surprised to learn Onyeka Ehie, who was eliminated during week five of Colton’s season, is featured in one episode of Coming Out Colton.
“People I still talk to [from our season] didn’t say that they were reached out to, but maybe they reached out to certain people,” she said. “They had just, like, a funny relationship. I don’t think they were super close romantically. But I guess none of us really were if you think about it.”
For Sydney’s recap of Michelle’s hometown dates and Ben Higgins’ wedding, listen to Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast.