‘The Bachelorette’ Twist: Next Season Expected To Feature Two Female Stars

It looks like we are up for another first in The Bachelor franchise — a season that starts with one titular star and ends with another.

Speculation has been growing that Clare Crawley, who had been tapped to headline The Bachelorette‘s upcoming 16th season, has left the show, which has been filming in a quarantine bubble at an isolated location under COVID-19 guidelines. No one is commenting, but I hear that Crawley’s exit will be incorporated into the season’s storyline as she reportedly fell in love with one of the contestants and did not want to continue with the dating process, leading the other bachelors on.

More from Deadline

Multiple reports have tipped Bachelor nation fan favorite Tayshia Adams as Crawley’s successor. She reportedly has joined the production after undergoing quarantine. Word is that some of the contestants previously eliminated by Crawley are coming back to vie for Adams’ heart.

Crawley seemingly confirmed the switch as her account briefly liked a tweet about Adams being the Bachelorette on Sunday before unliking it Monday morning. (The Bachelor/Bachelorette casts are not allowed to have phones for the duration of the shoot.)

ABC’s The Bachelor franchise is known for its major plot twists. The franchise also recently made history by casting its first Black Bachelor, Matt James.

Hosted by Chris Harrison, The Bachelorette, whose Season 16 rumored casting change was first reported by Life & Style, is a production of Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. Mike Fleiss, Martin Hilton, Nicole Woods, Bennett Graebner, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Louis Caric and Peter Geist are the executive producers.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.