The Bachelor: 5 Things We Know About Season 21

Though filming for The Bachelor Season 21 has just come to an end, ABC is remaining tight-lipped when it comes to spoilers.

Lucky for us, the show’s creator and Executive Producer, Mike Fleiss, isn’t quite as good at keeping a secret. Throughout the past month and a half, Fleiss has dropped a few — very vague — hints on Twitter, giving us an idea of what’s to come.

Here are some hints about Season 21:

1. The women were fans of Nick from the start.

Bachelor Nation was completely shocked to learn that Nick Viall, one of the franchise’s most notorious contestants, would be the twenty-first Bachelor. Especially because, at the time, fans were expecting to watch him get engaged on Bachelor in Paradise the following week!

According to Fleiss, the early announcement was made not for shock factor, but for casting purposes! So rest assured that the women competing for Nick’s heart came especially for him.

2. The season will start on a high note.

The first episode will likely be a juicy one! With Fleiss “still recovering” the following day, it’s safe to assume that a lot goes down on night one.

And it looks like Neil Lane will make a very early appearance, most likely because he has helped Nick pick a ring not once, but THREE TIMES in seasons past. Not to mention, Nick is looking rather dapper in his tuxedo (as seen on the monitor behind Lane).

3. Expect drama (and friendship) between the women in the house!

It’s not all about Nick! Some of the best moments over the past 20 seasons of The Bachelor have involved the drama (and friendships) between the ladies in the Bachelor Mansion.

Who could forget the time Olivia compared Amanda’s life to Teen Mom, or when JoJo and Becca drank wine while lifting weights together? From the looks of Fleiss’ pictures, this season will feature even more battles and bonding!

4. The dates will be a mix of silly, rewarding, and romantic.

Fleiss has tweeted out quite a few pictures over the course of filming, but only some appear to have been taken during Nick’s one-on-one dates. Based on these sneak peaks, the upcoming season will be the perfect mix of fantasy and fun.

With a romantic cabana on an otherwise empty beach, what looks like a girls’ youth soccer team, and a contestant in a wedding veil, expect story-book romance and a whole lot of The Bachelor’s usual antics.

5. We’re in for another emotional ride!

Just days before filming concluded, Mike Fleiss tweeted this cryptic spoiler. So will the season end with Nick heartbroken (for the THIRD time)?

Will he cry tears of guilt as he sends the final few contestants home? Or were his “mantears” spilled for another reason entirely? We can’t wait to find out!

For all the answers, tune in to The Bachelor Season 21 on Mondays at 8/7c beginning January 2nd on ABC!

And in the meantime, check out the newly released promo for the upcoming season:

The Bachelor: The Best (and Worst) of Nick Viall