Will Katie Thurston Be The Next Bachelorette? Her ‘Bachelor’ Exit May Be A Hint

Matt James might be in the midst of finding his ~one true love,~ but fans are already looking ahead to the next chapter of The Bachelor franchise. While there’s still time before the new lead is crowned, a recently eliminated fan-favorite from Season 25 has viewers seriously smitten. So, will Katie Thurston be the next Bachelorette? The contestant has already shown she’s capable of thriving in the spotlight.

Heading into the Feb. 8 episode, Katie was a frontrunner for stealing Matt’s heart, just like she stole the viewers’. The 30-year-old from Washington had fans buzzing from her very first entrance. When she walked out of the limo on Night 1, she gave Matt a vibrator by way of first impression.

While she’s clearly hilarious (her TikTok is full of videos that’ll make you LOL), she also proved to be a contestant who’s as kind and level-headed as she is humorous. Not only did she stand up for Sarah after she self-eliminated, but she was a voice of reason when welcoming the new contestants to the resort as well. To recap: Katie is refreshingly funny, relatable, sex positive, warm-hearted, and not totally evil — all qualities that would make for a perfect Bachelorette.

As for whether or not Katie will be the next Bachelorette is a whole other question. The self-described “story telling” had a 1-on-1 date with Matt during the Feb. 8 episode, where the two pranked his bestie, Tyler Cameron. Unfortunately, during the dinner portion of their date, Matt said he was further along with other relationships and didn’t give her the rose. After getting eliminated, Bachelor Nation is hoping Katie comes back to the franchise as the next lead.

But just because many viewers want Katie to be the next Bachelorette, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll happen. Traditionally, the lead is chosen from the final few contestants of a previous season. Clare Crawley was the runner-up on Season 18, Rachel Lindsay made it to the top three of Season 21, and Tayshia Adams made it to the final two of Season 23.

That said, ABC has been known to mix things up. Clare was given the lead role six years after being a contestant and Tayshia stepped in as the Bachelorette after Clare left mid-season, a move that had never happened before. Additionally, Matt himself was never actually on the show before being cast as the lead, so it’s clear the execs aren’t afraid to break the mold.

As of Feb. 8, ABC hasn’t spilled the beans, but Variety has reported Katie will likely be the next lead, citing an anonymous source. However, until an official announcement from ABC comes, nothing is set in stone. Until there’s more word on what’s next for Katie, you can always peruse her social media for some laughs and keep your fingers crossed that she makes her way back to the franchise, one way or another.

Season 25 of The Bachelor continues Monday, Feb. 15, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.