Season 22 The Bachelorette Overview
Season 22 of The Bachelorette premiered on ABC on May 22, 2023, and concluded with a finale aired in August 2023. The season starred Joey Graziadei, a 28-year-old elementary school teacher from Pennsylvania, as the lead. The show is produced by Next Entertainment and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Disney Branded Television. The season followed the standard 10-episode format, with episodes airing on Monday nights, and featured 30 contestants over the course of the competition. Joey received international attention for his calm demeanor and for being the first lead of Italian descent on the franchise. The season was filmed across multiple U.S. states, including Pennsylvania, and included international travel to Croatia and Austria. According to ABC scheduling data, the season maintained stable ratings in the 18-49 demographic, consistent with the franchise's recent performance. For more information on ABC's programming strategy, see ABC Official Site.
The season introduced a new spin-off element during the hometown dates, with additional behind-the-scenes content released on ABC's streaming platforms and social media channels. Joey's final choice was Kelsey Anderson, a 26-year-old elementary school teacher from Wisconsin. The engagement was confirmed by both parties in a joint statement shared on social media shortly after the finale aired. The season's production was overseen by executive producers Peter Weiss and Michael Fleiss, with casting handled by the show's long-standing team. The season's total runtime across all episodes was approximately 10 hours of broadcast content. The show remains one of the highest-rated programs in the reality television genre on broadcast television.
Cast and Contestant Details
The cast of season 22 included 30 women, with notable contestants such as Serena Pitt, a 25-year-old medical student from Virginia, and Kelsey Anderson, who went on to be the final recipient of the rose. Serena Pitt, a graduate of the University of Virginia, became a fan-favorite for her chemistry with Joey and her background in neuroscience. The season also featured Genevie Mayo, a 26-year-old nurse from Maryland, and Cat Wong, a 29-year-old marketing manager from California. Contestants were selected through a nationwide casting process managed by the show's casting directors, with final decisions made by the production team and the lead. The average age of the contestants was 26, with ages ranging from 23 to 32. The cast reflected a mix of professionals from healthcare, education, marketing, and finance, with several contestants holding advanced degrees. For background on the show's casting process, see Forbes.
Joey Graziadei's background as an elementary school teacher in Reading, Pennsylvania, was a central element of his storyline. He attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he studied to become a teacher. His family, including his parents and siblings, appeared in key episodes, including the hometown visits. The season also featured appearances from previous Bachelor and Bachelorette leads during cocktail party and rose ceremony scenes. The show's format requires each contestant to participate in group dates, one-on-one dates, and rose ceremonies, with eliminations occurring at the end of each episode. The final four contestants traveled to Croatia for the semifinals, and the final three traveled to Austria for the hometown dates. The season's editing focused on Joey's interactions with the final contestants and his family's feedback on each woman.
Viewership, Reception, and Aftermath
Season 22 The Bachelorette delivered stable viewership for ABC, with the finale drawing approximately 5.5 million viewers in the live-plus-same-day metric, according to early reporting from industry sources. The season ranked among the top five programs