Bachelor in Paradise announced its cast of hot singles that will be headed to Playa Escondida Resort in Vallarta-Nayarit, Mexico.
A month ahead of The Bachelor’s raunchier spinoff, ABC revealed the names of the first batch of contestants that are taking another chance at finding love.
Former Bachelorette Rachel Recchia will be among the familiar faces that will head to the famous beach as well as Blake Moynes, who appeared on season 16 and 17 of The Bachelorette.
One year after her failed engagement to Tino Franco, the commercial pilot and flight instructor, 27, who previously competed for Clayton Echard’s heart before co-leading her own season, will have her chance to mingle with some of the most eligible men on reality television.
This season’s bachelors include Brayden Bowers, who earned Charity Lawson’s first impression rose, Aaron Bryant, Peter Cappio, Sean McLaughlin, Aaron Schwartzman and Will Urena.
Greer Blitzer, Jessica ‘Jess’ Girod, Katherine ‘Kat’ Izzo, Olivia Lewis, Mercedes Northup, Kylee Russell, Brooklyn Willie, Catherine ‘Cat’ Wong, Eliza Isichei and Samantha ‘Sam’ Jeffries are the women vying for a relationship.
![Rachel Recchia from Clayton Echard's](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739005-12447111-Rachel_Recchia_from_Clayton_Echard_s-a-24_1693003032170.jpg)
Looking for love: Bachelor in Paradise announced its cast of hot singles that will be headed to Playa Escondida Resort in Vallarta-Nayarit, Mexico on Friday
While speaking about joining the Bachelor in Paradise cast, Recchia raved about feeling optimistic about ‘getting a second chance.’
‘I think things happen for a reason,’ she said in a first look at the highly-anticipated season.
Her former fiancé, who admitted to cheating on her during a rough patch in their relationship, admitted that he will tune in to watch her on the series as well as some of his friends in Bachelor Nation.
‘I’ll probably watch because I heard rumors that Aven [Jones] and Tyler [Norris] and a couple of the guys I liked from my season went down. So I’ll be rooting them on and if she thinks she can find love [on Paradise] after everything she’s been through, I mean, good for her,’ he said on Courtney Robertson’s After Reality podcast.
He continued: ‘One thing, I think — whether you like her or dislike her — you got to give her credit for is there’s no quit in her. I’ll be watching, but focusing my rooting on for the boys.’
Recchia and Franco’s relationship came to a dramatic end on the season finale of The Bachelorette, just months after she accepted his proposal.
During the episode, she revealed that after their engagement they went through a difficult time.
‘It didn’t work out, he cheated on me,’ she told viewers. ‘It’s heartbreaking.’
![Aaron Bryant from Charity's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739011-12447111-Aaron_Bryant_from_Charity_s_season-a-26_1693003032292.jpg)
Aaron Bryant from Charity’s season
![Brayden Bowers from Charity's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739023-12447111-Brayden_Bowers_from_Charity_s_season-a-23_1693003032169.jpg)
Brayden Bowers from Charity’s season
![Greer Blitzer from Zach's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739059-12447111-Greer_Blitzer_from_Zach_s_season-a-25_1693003032249.jpg)
Greer Blitzer from Zach’s season
![Sean McLaughlin from Charity's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739043-12447111-Sean_McLaughlin_from_Charity_s_season-a-22_1693003032116.jpg)
Sean McLaughlin from Charity’s season
During a conversation with his then-fiancée, Franco admitted that he ‘messed up’ and ‘kissed another girl.’
‘The second I did, I knew I belonged with you,’ he said. ‘This was the tiniest thing ever.’
Recchia said she wanted to know everything. Tino said it was a girl he knew before he went on the show who he ran into at a bar. Tino then quoted things back to Rachel that he said she said to him during the premiere week.
‘It was a one time mistake,’ Franco said.
Recchia said she highly doubted it was a one time kiss. Franco proceeded to ask Recchia if there was a way this would work out for them. Recchia said he would need to do a lot of work. Franco said he needed air and then went outside and took his microphone off.
‘This is f***ing going nowhere,’ Franco told a producer. ‘She just wants to f***ing beat me up. She’s throwing me under the bus, saying all this is lies.’
Ultimately, they decided to part ways and she gave him back her engagement ring.
At the time, she said on on Good Morning America that she doesn’t ‘think anyone deserves to ever go through what’ she did.
![Jessica "Jess" Girod from Zach's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739029-12447111-Jessica_Jess_Girod_from_Zach_s_season-a-29_1693003032377.jpg)
Jessica “Jess” Girod from Zach’s season
![Samantha "Sam" Jeffries from Clayton's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739055-12447111-Samantha_Sam_Jeffries_from_Clayton_s_season-a-27_1693003032340.jpg)
Samantha “Sam” Jeffries from Clayton’s season
![Olivia Lewis from Zach's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739039-12447111-Olivia_Lewis_from_Zach_s_season-a-32_1693003032462.jpg)
Olivia Lewis from Zach’s season
![Will Urena from Michelle's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739051-12447111-Will_Urena_from_Michelle_s_season-a-28_1693003032341.jpg)
Will Urena from Michelle’s season
![Brooklyn Willie from Zach's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739013-12447111-Brooklyn_Willie_from_Zach_s_season-a-30_1693003032378.jpg)
Brooklyn Willie from Zach’s season
![Mercedes Northup from Zach's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739057-12447111-Mercedes_Northup_from_Zach_s_season-a-31_1693003032425.jpg)
Mercedes Northup from Zach’s season
![Eliza Isichei from Clayton's season and season 8 of Bachelor in Paradise](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739021-12447111-Eliza_Isichei_from_Clayton_s_season_and_season_8_of_Bachelor_in_-a-34_1693003032524.jpg)
Eliza Isichei from Clayton’s season and season 8 of Bachelor in Paradise
While appearing on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast in November, Recchia revealed she was dating again.
During her chat with Becca Kufrin and Michelle Young, she stated that she was slowly returning to the dating scene.
The reality star admitted she even took a chance by going out with ‘a random person’ who ‘slid into’ her DMs.
‘We just went and got coffee. It was casual,’ she gushed.
![Catherine "Cat" Wong from Zach's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739027-12447111-Catherine_Cat_Wong_from_Zach_s_season-a-35_1693003032544.jpg)
Catherine “Cat” Wong from Zach’s season
![Peter Cappio from Charity's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739033-12447111-Peter_Cappio_from_Charity_s_season-a-33_1693003032523.jpg)
Peter Cappio from Charity’s season
![Aaron Schwartzman from Charity's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739047-12447111-Aaron_Schwartzman_from_Charity_s_season-a-37_1693003032603.jpg)
Aaron Schwartzman from Charity’s season
![Katherine "Kat" Izzo from Zach's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739015-12447111-Katherine_Kat_Izzo_from_Zach_s_season-a-36_1693003032554.jpg)
Katherine “Kat” Izzo from Zach’s season
![Kylee Russell from Zach's season](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/25/23/74739045-12447111-Kylee_Russell_from_Zach_s_season-a-38_1693003032632.jpg)
Kylee Russell from Zach’s season
When asked directly if they kissed, Recchia replied: ‘Maybe!’
Additionally, she confirmed she would be willing to go on Bachelor in Paradise.
‘I will go if Michelle goes down with me,’ the TV personality teased. ‘I will not go without her.’
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