Here’s Who Would’ve Been Bachelorette If Becca Had Turned The Show Down

On the second half of the two-part Bachelor Season 22 finale, host Chris Harrison made an announcement that, unlike the scene were Arie Luyendyk Jr. left his fiancée for the season’s runner-up, was neither upsetting nor shocking: Becca Kufrin would be the next Bachelorette. Yes, Arie's ex endured a great deal of heartache while she was on The Bachelor, but she is not ready to part ways with the franchise. However, if Becca did turn down The Bachelorette? The show definitely had a few excellent backup options for next season.

When E! News asked Robert Mills, ABC's senior vice president of alternative programming, to spill what the show would’ve done if Becca passed on The Bachelorette, he said the role would “definitely” go to “somebody from this season.” According to Mills, the franchise wasn’t going to pull a Bachelor Season 22, i.e., pluck a contestant from a season that aired half a decade ago. He told E! News,

"This was such a strong group of girls that honestly. I wish we could do five seasons of The Bachelorette. There's so many great girls from this season."

According to Mills, the show would've considered Bekah Martinez, Kendall Long, Tia Booth, Seinne Fleming, and Caroline Lunny for Season 14. All five of Becca's couch buddies apparently made the Bachelorette shortlist, and with good reason. As they proved at the After the Final Rose, they aren't here for Arie's nonsense, and it's probably safe to assume they wouldn't stand for any other contestants' nonsense. Honestly, if the franchise keeps this group in the back of its mind for future seasons, it would be the opposite of a questionable decision.

Speaking of questionable decisions, how about that one time Arie sprung a breakup on Becca while the cameras filmed the whole conversation? As messy and upsetting as the televised split was, it sounds like Becca is moving forward. After she was named the next Bachelorette, Becca hopped on Instagram and wrote,

“Words can’t express everything I’m feeling tonight, but I’m so beyond grateful for the love, support and well-wishes. I’m beyond excited for this next chapter of my journey and to have shared the start of that all with you tonight. Now we’re doing the damn thing.”

And backstage at the After the Final Rose taping, Becca told Good Morning America that she is “excited for what’s to come.” She explained,

“The breakup, it was a while ago. And so I've moved on from that. My heart is in the right place. I know what I want. I'm ready for it. And so, I mean, even just meeting the guys tonight just gives me so much hope for what's to come. And so I'm ready, I'm excited. I know all of the love I have to give."

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of a bouquet of roses, she's ready to put her heart out there again. Leave it to the person who handled Arie’s ambush with all of the grace and resilience to be so positive about the whole situation.

Becca’s season of The Bachelorette won't premiere until Monday, May 28, but viewers were treated to a sneak peek during last Tuesday's Bachelor finale. At the end of the After the Final Rose, the newest Bachelorette met a few hopeful suitors. After sitting through that too-real breakup scene, it was genuinely nice to see her laugh and smile and ride horses with The Bachelorette contestants.

It goes without saying, but: Season 14 better do right by Becca. Considering everything The Bachelor put her through — including asking her to climb aboard a horse while she was wearing a gorgeous gown with a no-nonsense slit — this really doesn't seem too big an ask.