Heather Martin, a.k.a. that random blonde who crashed The Bachelor earlier this season in a minivan, was seemingly edited out of Monday’s “Women Tell All†reunion episode, capping off an experience that was plagued by extensive quarantines and a biting elimination. As numerous social-media users (as well as this writer) were able to deduce last night despite being wine drunk, Martin’s distinctive profile and backside were included in numerous panoramic shots of the studio. However, she was not introduced by host Chris Harrison at the beginning of the episode — which was recorded prior to Harrison’s temporary dismissal for “excusing historical racism†— nor did any women acknowledge she was in their presence. While Vulture has reached out to ABC for clarification, here’s a possible (and pretty cold) reason Martin was edited out: She was likely given her own one-on-one with Harrison to further discuss why she felt compelled to show up six episodes in and attempt to seduce Matt James, but their interview was cut for time in the editing room. Damn, now we know how Kyle Mooney feels every week.
As we were reminded in the sixth episode, Martin was a previous contestant on Colton Underwood’s Bachelor season, where she became close friends with eventual Bachelorette lead Hannah Brown. During her plea to Harrison to let her quarantine and appear on the show, she said that Brown (who, for another corkboard pin, shares a mutual Bachelor Nation connection with Tyler Cameron) told her that she and James would be a perfect match. “Hannah is one of my very best girlfriends. She knows Matt and loves Matt so much. Her telling me that — it meant something,†Martin explained. “I couldn’t let him get engaged and not meet him, or not try my best.†James, while flattered, promptly eliminated Martin before the next rose ceremony, citing being “too deep in this process†to give her a fair shot. He has more important things to worry about anyway, like his controversial front-runner.