TV & Movies
Clayton Sent An Unexpected Contestant Home On The Bachelor
“It sounds like you were trying to manipulate these women.”
The contestants on Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor are dropping like flies. After multiple weeks spent being reluctant to send people home despite obvious red flags (*ahem,* Shanae), Clayton sent multiple people packing during the Feb. 21 episode — first Genevieve Parisi after a fruitless couple’s therapy session, then Sarah Hamrick after other contestants told him she’d been lying to them about her connection with Clayton.
This marked a drastic shift from the beginning of the episode, when it seemed like Sarah was a front-runner. She had just received a rose after her second one-on-one date — and was the only contestant to bag two one-on-ones to that point.
But things took a turn on the group date, during which the women were once again forced to attend therapy with Clayton (at least this time with a licensed professional). Going into the session, Sarah wasn’t nervous. She said therapy was already a big part of her life and that she enjoyed being able to talk through her issues with someone. During the date, she easily opened up, tearfully explaining that she became an easy target after her second one-on-one. After the session, however, the therapist warned Clayton that someone wasn’t honest and had been “performative.” He quickly deduced that she was referring to Sarah.
Afterward, the other women decided to tell Clayton about the “intimate details” that Sarah had been revealing to them about her connection with him. Rachel confessed that Sarah told her and Teddi that Clayton cried after a date with Sarah, making it seem like their emotional connection was stronger than it was. When Teddi confirmed the story, Clayton was shocked, clarifying that it was completely untrue.
When Clayton confronted Sarah about it, she denied ever saying it, doubling down on her story that she was a target in the house. She even started whimpering, but didn’t cry. “I felt like you were really trying to force the tears down,” Clayton said. Sarah responded that she had no more tears left.
Clayton didn’t buy it. “It sounds like you were trying to manipulate these women into thinking that there was more there to the point that they should just give up,” he said. He ended the conversation by saying he couldn’t move forward with her and walked her out.
Before getting in the car, Sarah tried one last time to change Clayton’s mind. But he remained unmoved. “I just don’t believe you,” he said plainly.
In the limo, Sarah said she was “annoyed.” “If someone says they’re feeling insecure because of where my relationship’s at, then how does that become me being manipulative or being something that I need to fix?” she asked. And the fact that Clayton believed the other contestants? “I don’t even want to be engaged to someone like that,” she said.
