Clare is a favorite of Bachelor Nation fans. She first appeared in Juan Pablo Galavis’ season of “The Bachelor” in 2014, where she was the finalist and is known to have denounced the star of the series after he dumped her. She was a candidate for two seasons of “Bachelor in Paradise” (where she was known for seeking advice from a raccoon). In 2018, Clare got engaged to a man she met during the “Bachelor Winter Games”, a relationship that ended soon after. Clare said on Monday morning on “Good Morning America” that she learned only last Saturday that she would be the next Bachelorette.
When announcing on GMA, Clare said that she had heard negative responses to the fact that she was older than the usual Bachelorette, but she applauded noting that her age gives her more wisdom and confidence in his search for love. “For me, it’s more years under my belt, more to learn what I want, what I don’t want and what I won’t settle for,” she said.
Clare told viewers that she was looking for a strong man who was ready to be vulnerable. No specific physical attributes are important to her, she said. “That’s all there is inside,” said Clare, adding that she was looking for someone who would do everything possible for her and make her feel special.
She also noted that she was “known for going out with younger guys, so that’s okay for me.”
Viewers and former members of the Clare cast applauded the decision on Twitter. Sharleen Joynt, who was on “The Bachelor” with Clare, tweeted that she would “make a fantastic head start” and that it was time to hire more singles in their 30s and 40s.
I just want to say in Twitterverse that if these @Clare_Crawley for #The bachelorette the rumors are true I AM EVERYTHING FOR THIS. ??♀️ She deserves it, is 100% sincere and I always thought that she would make a fantastic track. Bonus: bring more people into their thirties, hopefully forties! IT’S TIME ??
– Sharleen Joynt (@sharleenjoynt) February 29, 2020
The casting decision comes as the very young season of “The Bachelor” draws to a close. Discussing Peter Weber’s other three women, ages 23 to 26, Clare joked that she could be their mother.
Clare was a surprising choice for a show where anyone over 30 is often treated as desperate and on the hill. Remember this last season of “Bachelor in Paradise”? In the intros of the show, candidate Chris Bukowski, 32, walks on the beach with a walker. And when Clare, then 34, was in “Bachelor in Paradise”, candidate Ashley Iaconetti treated her as if she were a cougar to date Jared Haibon. (Ashley and Jared are now married.)
Bachelorette producers may recognize that Americans stay single longer and marry later than ever. According to 2018 data, more than half of 18-34 year-olds do not have a stable romantic partner, a significant increase from 33% in 2004. The average age of first marriage has also increased in recent years. . years, now at 30 for men and 28 for women.
Most seasons of “The Bachelorette” have chosen women who are on the right track to marry around this median. Viewers saw Kaitlyn Bristowe vocalize the pressure of being about 30 and single. Now viewers will be able to see how a more experienced date looks for love. Will Clare be more decisive than some of her predecessors and more certain of her uniqueness?
We will probably have a preview very soon: if Clare’s season follows the recent tradition of “Bachelorette”, she could meet her first competitors during “After the Final Rose” by Peter Weber next week.
