Bachelor in Paradise season nine cast revealed: Former Bachelorette Rachel Recchia and Blake Moynes are among contestants heading to Mexico as they attempt to find love on TV for the THIRD time

Bachelor in Paradise has announced its cast of hot singles heading to the Playa Escondida Resort in Vallarta-Nayarit, Mexico.

A month ahead of The Bachelor’s grittier spin-off, ABC revealed the names of the first batch of contestants to take another chance at finding love.

Former bachelorette Rachel Recchia will be one of the familiar faces heading to the famous beach, as will Blake Moynes, who appeared on seasons 16 and 17 of The Bachelorette.

A year after her failed engagement to Tino Franco, the 27-year-old commercial pilot and flight instructor, who previously competed for the heart of Clayton Echard before co-leading her own season, gets the chance to mingle with some of the most desirable men on the planet. reality TV. .

This season’s Bachelorettes include Brayden Bowers, who provided Charity Lawson’s first impression, 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.

While talking about joining the cast of Bachelor in Paradise, Recchia raved about his optimism 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 see 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 some of the guys I liked from my season went down. So I will support them and if she thinks she can find love (except Paradise) after all 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 not—you have to give her credit: There’s no stopping her.” I’ll watch, but concentrate on the boys.’

Recchia and Franco’s relationship came to a dramatic end during the season finale of The Bachelorette just months after she accepted his proposal.

During the episode, she revealed that they went through a rough time after their engagement.

“It didn’t work, he cheated on me,” she told viewers. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Speaking to his then-fiancé, Franco admitted that he “messed up” and “kissed another girl.”

“From the moment I did, I knew I belonged to you,” he said. “This was the smallest thing ever.”

Recchia said she wanted to know everything. Tino said it was a girl he knew before going 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 premiere week.

“It was a one-time mistake,” Franco said.

Recchia said she strongly doubted it was a one-off kiss. Franco then asked Recchia if there was any way this would work out for them. Recchia said he would have a lot of work to do. Franco said he needed air, then went outside and turned off his mike.

“This isn’t going anywhere,” Franco told a producer. “She just wants to beat me up. She throws me in front of the bus and says these are all lies.’

In the end, they decided to break up and she gave him back her engagement ring.

At the time, she said on Good Morning America that she “don’t think anyone deserves to ever go through what” she did.

Appearing on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast in November, Recchia revealed she was dating again.

During her conversation with Becca Kufrin and Michelle Young, she stated that she was slowly returning to the dating scene.

The reality star admitted that she even took a chance by dating “a random person” who “sneaked into” her DMs.

“We just went to get coffee. It was informal,’ she said.

When asked directly if they kissed, Recchia replied, “Maybe!”

Moreover, she confirmed that she would be willing to go on Bachelor in Paradise.

“I’m going if Michelle comes with me,” the TV personality teased. “I’m not going without her.”