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‘Bachelor’ Producer/Creator Defends Picking JoJo Fletcher Over Caila Quinn, Hints Becca Tilley Will Be On Spin-Off

By Karen de Wilde
Published on: 06:20 PST, Mar 15, 2016

Did producers make the right choice in choosing JoJo Fletcher to be the next star of The Bachelorette over Caila Quinn? Some viewers have questioned the decision. After it was announced on Monday night that JoJo will be the next woman to hand out roses in pursuit of love, the franchise’s creator and producer, Mike Fleiss, posted a defense of the decision. Mike also hinted that Becca Tilley, who unsuccessfully sought love on both Chris Soules’ and Ben’ Higgins’ seasons, will appear on another franchise show.

Mike tweeted that they listened to Bachelor Nation, the nickname given to the franchise’s alums and fans.

Mike’s tweet seems to be in reference to the fact that after it was reported that Caila was chosen as the next Bachelorette, a lot of viewers left comments on social media and blogs criticizing the decision. People wrote that Caila is too boring to be the next star, that they won’t watch her season, and that JoJo is much more exciting to watch.

The producers’ decision to go with JoJo over Caila seems to be have been made last-minute. Just two weekends ago, Us Weekly reported that Caila was the next Bachelorette, with a source revealing that she filmed a Bachelorette intro package in her hometown.

Perhaps after seeing Caila Quinn’s intro package and how the audience and viewers reacted to her on the Women Tell All special, the producers decided that JoJo has more star power? On the live After the Final Rose special after the season finale, which showed Ben sending JoJo home and getting engaged to Lauren Bushnell, host Chris Harrison confirmed that JoJo is the next Bachelorette.

In response to Mike’s tweet celebrating JoJo as the next Bachelorette, many viewers left comments thanking Mike for listening to them.

Yet there were also viewers who criticized the choice. They asked Mike whatever happened to the promise that there will be more diversity on the franchise. Some viewers wrote that Caila, who is half-Filipino, wasn’t white enough for the show.

In response to the criticism, Mike declared that Caila is also a wonderful girl.

A source told E! News that JoJo’s storyline was simply more compelling.

“It was nothing against Caila, but JoJo’s storyline was just so compelling. After seeing how she fell in love with Ben and then had her heart broken, there was no doubt that everyone’s going to be rooting for her as Bachelorette.”

During the season, Ben Higgins told both JoJo Fletcher and Lauren Bushnell that he loves them. On the season finale episode, JoJo pulled Ben into the bathroom for an off-camera conversation, where she implored him for a sign that she was the one for him and broke down upon hearing that he also told Lauren that he loves her. After her rejection in Jamaica, during her car ride home, JoJo tearfully said that while she feels blindsided, she can’t be mad at Ben and was actually sad to see him cry.

JoJo’s family also made quite the impression during the hometown dates episode. JoJo’s two brothers grilled Ben, with one of them even accusing Ben of saying scripted lines and manipulating the women. JoJo’s mom was caught drinking straight from a wine bottle during the brothers’ tense confrontation with Ben.

JoJo’s parents poked fun of that moment by recreating the scene on the After the Final Rose set.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Caila said that she was open to being the next Bachelorette. Yet, Caila herself doesn’t seem to hold any hard feelings about being passed over. After the announcement was made, Caila posted a photo of herself happily having a drink with JoJo as Lauren smiles in the background. Caila congratulated Lauren and JoJo. Pointedly, Caila also wrote that “the journey isn’t over” but that “it’s only just [the] beginning.”

Is Caila’s tweet a hint that viewers will see her on the spin-off Bachelor in Paradise?

One person whom viewers may see on Season 3 of the spin-off is Becca Tilley. Previously, Mike declared that the show’s producers love Becca.

In response to a viewer who tweeted that Becca’s supporters, who campaigned for her to be the next Bachelorette, will be fine as long as Becca gets on another TV show, Mike replied, “deal.”

[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]

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the bachelor the bachelorette Becca Tilley Ben Higgins jojo fletcher Lauren Bushnell
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