Former ‘Bachelorette’ Katie Thurston Thinks ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Will Save ABC Franchise

Former “Bachelorette” Katie Thurston hasn’t joined “The Golden Bachelor” bandwagon, but she thinks the ABC spin-off show could be the franchise’s way forward.

“I’m not watching it but I’ve heard really good things about it, Thurston told TheWrap at DIRECTV Celebrates Christmas at Kathy’s. “I think ‘The Golden Bachelor’ is actually going to save the franchise. People are really drawn to it and I’m excited to see what happens for ‘The Golden Bachelorette.'”

While no “Golden” renewals or spin-offs have received the green light yet, the series has been a ratings marvel for ABC. The season finale, which aired Nov. 30, recently scored the highest viewership for a “Bachelor” show in three years. And Thurston isn’t the only “Bachelor” nation staple hoping for a “Golden Bachelorette,” as host Jesse Palmer told TheWrap he would be excited for additional “Golden” iterations, adding “there’d be many women from Gerry’s season that would be phenomenal candidates for that.”

After leading Season 17 of “The Bachelorette,” Thurston recently went outside of the “Bachelor” franchise to join the third season of “FBoy Island” on the CW, which she notes is “more realistic” to dating off-screen as she is challenged to determine which dating prospects are “FBoys” and which are nice guys.

“With ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette,’ there’s an engagement and that’s not normal,” she said. “So I think ‘FBoy [Island]’ is a little more relaxed and fun — less drama and less tears.”

In addition to starring on “FBoy Island,” Thurston also surprised “Bachelor” fans by appearing on “Bachelor in Paradise” Season 9, prompting confusion among beach-goers as they tried to figure out if she was making a brief cameo or joining the “Paradise” dating pool.

“When I was asked to go on ‘Paradise’ I knew I was going on ‘FBoy Island,’ so the one rule I had was: you cannot date on ‘Paradise,'” she said. “But the producers of ‘Paradise’ didn’t know that, so I don’t know if I would’ve stayed knowing that I was going to go on another reality show.”

On the beach, Thurston quickly pulled aside her ex-fiancé, Blake Moynes, who she suspected would be there prior to her arrival.

“I knew they would only invite me if he was there,” Thurston said of Moynes, adding that the pair’s reunion was “a conversation that we needed to have” that was “two years in the making.”

While Thurston had expected to see Moynes for the first time since their breakup, Moynes was visibly shocked to see her as he developed a relationship with “The Bachelor” alum Jess Girod.

“I was definitely going to let him guide,” Thurston said. “If he didn’t want to talk, so be it, I’d walk away with my tail between my legs. [But] it ended up being really good, a very mature conversation.”

Thurston recalled that she said everything she wanted to say, and meanwhile expressed some cynicism regarding his relationship with Girod — and her age — both during her conversation with Moynes and while leading the “Paradise” comedy roast later that day.

“I think it gave him a reality check for his existing relationship on the beach,” she said. “Is this the right place for him to fall in love?”

“The Golden Bachelor” and “Bachelor in Paradise” Season 9 are now streaming on Hulu. “FBoy Island” is available to stream on The CW app.

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