Top 10 Most Memorable Moments From The Bachelorette Season Finale Ever
When Bachelor franchise host Chris Harrison teases that this season (of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette) is the most ‘dramatic’ ever, viewers tend to get annoyed as the term has been overused for so many years. Sometimes though, after viewing the watching the episodes, especially the season finale, the phrase ‘most dramatic’ tend to live up to its’ hype. Given that Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette will take up two nights (July 29-30), there’s bound to be a lot of drama.
Throughout all past seasons of The Bachelorette, there have been several draw-dropping moments in the finale. Heading into the season 15 finale of The Bachelorette, here are the Top 10 Most Memorable Moments from past Bachelorette Season Finales Ever:
10. Ali sends Chris L. Home Before the Final Rose Ceremony
When it gets down to the final two on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, the show lead rejects the runner-up at the final rose ceremony. Season 6 Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky made franchise history when she sent one of her final two men, Chris Lambton, home before the final rose ceremony.
After spending the first final date in Bora Bora with Roberto (the other man left), Ali realized she was more in love with him. Once she met up with Chris L. (there were two Chris’s on Ali’s Season) for their final date, she confessed to him that she loved Roberto more than him. Not wanting to lead Chris L. on, she sent him home before they even went on the date. Although heartbroken, Chris L. appreciated her being honest with him.
9. Ashley Fights with her Sister:
Drama happened during the Season 7 finale not between Ben F. and JP (the last two guys left), but between Bachelorette Ashley Hebert and her older sister Chrystie (in the photo below). The bachelorette and her sister got into an argument after Chrystie straight up told Ashley that she didn’t think JP was the one for her. Chrystie even told JP this to his face during their one-one chat and this caused Ashley to break down crying and calling her sister a b****. Despite this, Ashley followed her heart and accepted JP’s proposal. On After The Final Rose, Chrystie came up on to the stage and apologized to the then-engaged couple (Ashley and JP are stilled married to this day) for blasting her future brother-in-law.
8. Becca and Blake’s Tearful Breakup:
Season 14 Bachelorette Becca Kufrin stated in interviews while promoting her season that she fell deeply in love with both of her final two guys and it was very hard for her to say good-bye to her runner-up. While her season of The Bachelorette aired, it was very clear that Becca had formed a deep connection with her final two men: Blake Hortsmann and Garrett Yrigoyen.
When Blake arrived at the final rose ceremony (the finale was in The Maldives that year) and professed his love for Becca, the bachelorette stopped him in the middle of his proposal speech to tell him that he wasn’t the one. The break-up between Becca and Blake left both in tears and the latter had to be given a towel to wipe away his tears and sweat (as the finale was in the blazing hot Maldives and he was in a suit).
7. Kaitlyn Spoils Her Season:
Although this moment didn’t happen during The Bachelorette Season 11 finale, it still makes our list of memorable moments. While her season was still airing, Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe (on the right) sent social media ablaze when she accidentally posted a Snapchat Story of herself and her final pick Shawn B. (on the left) in bed together. In an interview after the season finale, Kaitlyn stated that the SnapChat Story was meant to be sent to a producer but she accidentally hit the wrong button.
6. Emily Sends Arie Home Before the Final Rose Ceremony:
Like Season 6 Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky (See #10), Season 8 Bachelorette Emily Maynard also sent one of her final two men home before the final rose ceremony. After spending her first final date in Curacao with Jef Holm, Emily realized Jef was the one for her and didn’t want to put Arie Luyendyk Jr. (the other finalist and eventual Season 22 Bachelor) through an unnecessary final date. When she met up with him on what would have been their final date, Emily sent a confused and heartbroken Arie home in tears.
5. Andi Sends Nick V. Home Before The Final Rose Ceremony:
When Season 10 Bachelorette Andi Dorfman eliminated Nick V. before the final rose ceremony, it marked the fourth time ever in the history of The Bachelorette (and third consecutive season) that it happened. Unlike Bachelorettes Ali and Emily, who sent their runners-up home before their final dates, Andi went on both of her final dates (that year in the Dominican Republic) with her final two men, just like Season 9 Bachelorette Desiree Hartsock did. However, unlike Desiree, who sent her runner-up Drew Kenney home during their final date, Andi dumped her runner-up Nick V. on the morning before the final rose ceremony. She went to his hotel room to break the news and Nick V. was heartbroken.
4. Ben Flajnik Gets Down on One Knee and Gets Rejected:
In the seasons of The Bachelorette where the lead dumped the runner-up at the final rose ceremony, the bachelorette does this before the runner-up (either in the middle or after finishing his ‘proposal’ speech) can get down on one knee to propose. Season 7 Bachelorette Ashley Hebert dumped runner-up Ben Flajnik not only after he made his speech, but after he got on one knee and proposed. Fans were shocked that the Bachelorette didn’t break the bad news to Ben F. before he got down on one knee. The eventual Season 16 Bachelor later stated in interviews that having the courage to stand back up after his proposal was rejected was the hardest part.
3. Reid Returns and Proposes to Jillian:
With The Bachelorette Season 5 overnight dates and finale taking place in Hawaii, Bachelorette Jillian Harris sent home heartbroken third-place finisher Reid Rosenthal home during the rose ceremony after the overnight dates. After dumping runner-up Kiptyn Locke at the final rose ceremony, The Bachelorette was in for a surprise as she was waiting for the arrival of Ed Swiderski, the last man left, so she could profess her love to him.
Before Ed arrived, Reid returned and in effort to get her to change her mind, proposed to Jillian. However, the Bachelorette, whose reasons for sending the third-place finisher home was due to him professing his love a bit too late compared to when Kiptyn and Ed did, turned him down and accepted Ed’s proposal (Jillian and Ed would end up calling things off in July 2010).
2. Brooks Breaks Desirees’s Heart:
Just like this season’s finale will take up two nights, Season 9 Bachelorette Desiree Hartsock’s finale also took up two nights. The reason Desiree’s season finale did was because of how dramatic the breakup with third-place finisher Brooks Forester was (usually the finale is only the last two left) during the overnight dates.
Of the three men (Drew, Brooks, and Chris) left at that point (the round before the finale), Desiree had her heart seemed set on picking Brooks at the end. However, heading into his overnight date, Brooks realized his feelings were not as strong as hers and broke up with her right before what would have been the day portion of their overnight date. Desiree was blindsided and told Brooks that she had planned to tell him she loved him during their date, which only made him feel worse. The breakup left both in tears.
Desiree almost quit the show, but thankfully, she didn’t as she sent runner-up Drew Kenney home during their final date and accepted a proposal from the last man left, Chris Siegfried. Despite many fans believing that the Bachelorette settled, Desiree and Chris have proved the haters wrong as they are still married to this day and have two children.
1. Rachel’s and Peter’s Tearful Breakup:
Depending on how dramatic Hannah B.’s finale is, will it be more dramatic than the moment listed as #1? Season 13 Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay’s breakup with her runner-up Peter Kraus is ranked highly amongst the most emotional breakups in the franchise’s history. Rachel and Peter had a deep connection which made Kraus a front-runner all season long.
However, by the end of their last date before the final rose ceremony, the couple couldn’t agree at what they wanted at the end (of the show). Although he had fallen deeply in love with her, Peter didn’t feel ready to propose yet but still wanted to continue the relationship, but Rachel wanted an engagement. This lead to Rachel dumping Peter before the final rose ceremony. Neither Rachel or Peter could stop crying or kissing each other when they said good-bye, even saying ‘I love you’ to each other too. The breakup was so emotional that the bachelorette cried her fake eyelashes out.
Which of these moments from past finales of The Bachelorette do you remember the most? Let us know in the comments below.
Featured Image Source: https://www.theknotnews.com/bachelorette-star-becca-kufrin-season-finale-32414
I am currently a senior at The University of Miami. I will graduate in December 2021 with a major in Journalism and minor in Sports Administration.