It’s complicated! Bachelorette Katie Thurston‘s season is “drama-filled” and she even “threatened to quit” the series at one point during filming, an insider tells Life & Style exclusively.
“It’s definitely an emotional roller coaster for Katie. She doesn’t hold back and will tell it like it is. At one point, she threatened to quit the show. It really got to her and she couldn’t take it anymore,” the source explains. “She just walked away from cameras. She kept changing how she felt and her thoughts were all over the place. You will see later on this season how difficult it was for her.”
The insider adds that the Washington native‘s cast made things difficult for her at times. “Like every season there’s a villain, guys who are on the show for the wrong reasons, guys who have a secret or some kind of scandal and surprises,” the source notes.
However, it seems the bank marketing manager has really blossomed since appearing on Matt James‘ season 25 of The Bachelor. “She makes a great Bachelorette and really is her authentic self, like what we saw on Matt’s season but more of her personality shine through,” the insider gushes. “There are some raunchy moments and hot and heavy makeout sessions — that’s just who Katie is. She loves being intimate and packing on the PDA.”
Bachelor franchise host Chris Harrison stepped back from his regular duties this season following his problematic comments about the social media controversy involving season 25 Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell. In his absence, Katie was ushered through her experience to find love while shooting at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya in New Mexico by former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe.
“Tayshia and Kaitlyn stepped in multiple times to give her guidance and offer her advice,” the source says. “They helped her with ruling out some guys but ultimately Katie went with her gut feeling and made decisions that were best for her.”
The starlet has already revealed her ravishing red premiere night dress — so it’s clear that she means business during season 17. We can’t wait to see who Katie ends up with (or doesn’t)!