Why Clayton Echard and Susie Evans Are Disappointed By The Bachelorette Premiere

Bachelor Clayton Echard and Susie Evans spoke to Kaitlyn Bristowe about the renewed criticism they're facing following The Bachelorette premiere.

By Cydney Contreras Jul 12, 2022 2:38 PMTags

Clayton Echard and Susie Evans want bygones to be bygones.

Nearly six months have passed since Clayton's messy Bachelor finale, and the pair were just starting to feel a sense of normalcy. Then, ABC began promoting The Bachelorette. "It's crazy, I'm just getting so many intense messages as the new season is ramping up," Susie told Kaitlyn Bristowe on the Off the Vine podcast July 12. "I think people are coming to see what we're up to and it feels like now, even more than when the show first aired, I'm getting a lot of heat."

After all, Susie left The Bachelor when she found out that Clayton stayed in the Fantasy Suite with both Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia. He tried staying on to make things work with the two, but ultimately pursued Susie after realizing his true feelings.

Now, Rachel and Gabby are ready to move on and find love as co-Bachelorettes, but it seems the new contestants on The Bachelorette aren't as willing to forgive, with one contestant bringing a boys choir to sing, "Clayton sucks."

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Clayton isn't too offended, because he knows this round of criticism "will pass" as the women continue their search for love. But Susie was annoyed, explaining, "My fear is, like, ‘Does this open the floodgates back up of all the hate and stuff?' So that's where I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, really?' But Clayton, definitely was, like, going with the flow."

ABC/Craig Sjodin

Of course, Clayton has the same concerns and feels that The Bachelorette producers didn't need to air every single jab. "I do think it was cyberbullying or an attack or it's going to lead to cyberbullying," he said. "So for that, I'm not the biggest fan of how that was shown, but it was and like you said, it's just the nature of the beast. I'm gonna lose sleep over this point anymore." 

ABC/Craig Sjodin

That being said, Clayton and Susie were grateful that Gabby and Rachel weren't encouraging of the criticism. Clayton pointed out, "They said that on this episode, 'We don't really want to be bringing his name up, this is about our journey.' So yeah, I get it. There's going to be some crossover but it won't last."

The Bachelorette airs Mondays on ABC.

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