Who’s the Bachelorette? 2021’s Katie Thurston is ready for love

Who's the Bachelorette? 2021's leading lady, Katie Thurston, is looking for love and getting ready to hand out those roses...and send some fellas home. If a reality TV romance is the way to your heart, allow us to introduce you to Katie and everything you need to know about the 17th season of The Bachelorette. Trust us, it'll be a doozy! 

• Bachelor in Paradise 2021: new host, cast, airdates, and everything else you need to know

Who’s the Bachelorette? 2021's star is Katie Thurston

Say hello to the 30-year-old Washington native. Katie is a bank marketing manager known for a fiery personality and letting her opinions be known, so we hope that the 30 contestants are ready to handle whatever she throws their way. 

Katie first caused a buzz when she arrived to Matt James’s season of The Bachelor with a vibrator in hand. Now, the starlet with the sex-positive mindset is stealing the spotlight. (Psst: we think these hands-free vibrators and sex toys are as buzz-worthy as Katie's Bachelorette season.) 

Katie had a close call

For a moment, Katie almost gave up on The Bachelorette. She's even seen insisting that someone book her a flight home during a promo. However, she managed to pull through with help from surprising sources. 

“I was at my lowest and really wanted to leave," she told US Weekly (opens in new tab). "If it wasn’t for the amazing women who have been Bachelorettes before helping me navigate that, I probably would have. And so, I’m so thankful for all of them.”

She goes on to say that she was told to have faith in the experience and not fall in love right away. (Her predecessor Clare Crawley completely took the opposite approach!) 

@thekatiethurston (opens in new tab)

Each preview gets me more excited! ##thebachelorette ##bachelornation 🌹 🥂

♬ original sound - Katie Thurston (opens in new tab)

• What's going on between Too Hot To Handle's Harry Howsey and Francesca Farago?

She's not afraid to call anyone out

Some contestants aren't as interested in Katie's heart as they are in gaining social media followers...and Katie is not here for the drama. 

Katie Thurston talks about Chris Harrison

Following racially insensitive remarks that surfaced earlier in 2021, the franchise's host Chris Harrison has been absent from the new endeavors. Instead, season 11 Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe and season 16 starlet Tayshia Adams have stepped in to do the honors. 

"As the lead, I've never gone through it with Chris," she told USA Today. (opens in new tab) "And so I can't really speak to how it's different, because when I was on that season, I didn't really interact with him too much."

When does Katie's season of The Bachelorette premiere?

Fans can catch The Bachelorette on ABC (opens in new tab) on Mondays at 8pm/7 Central beginning June 7.  

How can I watch The Bachelorette if I'm not in the US?

Don't have access to ABC? If you're not in the U.S., and the show is not being broadcast on any channels in the country you're in, you can still watch using a VPN.

Our favorite VPN service is ExpressVPN (opens in new tab)—rated one of the best, by our colleagues at TechRadar (opens in new tab). If you sign up for an annual plan you'll get an extra 3 months absolutely FREE (opens in new tab). And it's risk-free: if you change your mind in the first 30 days, let them know and they'll give you your money back.

Need us? We'll be on the couch with a glass of wine and Katie's adventures in love.