‘The Bachelorette’ Recap: Kaitlyn Bristowe Says Goodbye To Ben Z., Chris, JJ & Tanner In Sob Fest Episode

The Bachelorette this week was a sob fest from start to finish, as Kaitlyn Bristowe couldn’t hold back her increasingly fraught emotions, and neither could the guys that she decided to sent home.

‘The Bachelorette’ Recap

Sunday night’s Bachelorette picked up where it left off last week, with Shawn B. going to visit Kaitlyn to talk about how vulnerable he’s been feeling. Especially since Nick joined the guys, Shawn has wanted more validation from Kaitlyn about her feelings for him. The competition is making him uneasy and he’s seriously considering walking away from it all, despite the fact that he claims to be falling in love. As for Kaitlyn, she’s feelings guilty about sleeping with Nick because of her feelings for Shawn.

Kaitlyn’s first date of the week is a two-on-one with J.J. and Joe. Together, they go on a boat ride to Ireland’s Eye, where they have a picnic. When Joe steals Kaitlyn away, he opens up and tells her that he’s falling for her and that San Antonio was a turning point for him. J.J., during his time alone with Kaitlyn, decides to share a pretty big skeleton in his closet, telling her that he ruined his marriage by cheating on his wife. Kaitlyn says that although that’s her biggest fear in a relationship, she appreciates his honesty.

In the middle of the two-on-one, Kaitlyn decides to let J.J. go early to spend some more quality time with Joe. After leaving J.J. behind to say how upset he is that it’s the end of the road for him, Kaitlyn and Joe continue their romantic date that featured a lot of kissing and discussions about the “process.” When Joe gets back to the guys, it’s obvious to all of them that he had a great time, which irritates Shawn.

Shawn, whose intensity has become the gossip among the guys, decides that he needs to talk to Kaitlyn again. Kaitlyn is less than eager to chat with him, convinced that he knows about Nick. Really, he just wanted to tell her that he’s been having a really difficult time seeing her with the other guys since she told him off camera that he might be the one. She regrets having told him that, and levels with him that all the drama between them now makes her question their relationship, which leads him to vow to recommit to the show’s premise.

At the Rose Ceremony later, Kaitlyn gives an awkward toast in which she talks about mistakes and how her heart is open to everyone. After Ben Z. gets some time alone with her, Ben H. steals her away. He wants to know what is going on with her and Shawn. He was also hanging out with her off-camera that night and says that when he left the room and came back there was a noticeable shift in the dynamic, making him believe that she gave Shawn some kind of validation. Nick also expresses his concern, and manages to warm her to him in the process.

When it’s time to hand out the roses, Ben Z. and Tanner are left without.

For the next date, they’re all taking a road trip to a new locale in the Irish countryside. Luckily for Jared, Kaitlyn had picked him to drive alone with her in a car. Jared couldn’t be happier to spend the afternoon with her, which included kissing the Blarney Stone together. Afterwards, Jared gushes about their chemistry.

Host Chris Harrison decides it’s time to step in to tailor the “process” for Kaitlyn and the remaining men. He wants her to narrow down the field of six to three by the end of the week. During the week, she’ll get Fantasy Suite level alone time with all the remaining men, should she want it. For the first crucial date, Kaitlyn picks Chris and they take a helicopter ride to the Cliffs of Moher.

With the beautiful landscape all around them, the two delve into serious conversation about what they want in life post-Bachelorette. Chris tells her that he settled down in Nashville because it’s a great place to raise kids but that he’s open to change. Just as he was pouring his romantic heart out, Kaitlyn cuts him off to confess that while she thinks he’s an amazing guy, she can’t picture forever with him. Crying, she walks away from him to board a helicopter, leaving him on the cliffs to absorb what just happened. After maintaining his composure while talking to the camera, he crumbled to the ground, where he gave in to shoulder-racking sobs.

Next week on The Bachelorette, Kaitlyn decides it’s time to tell the other guys that she had sex with Nick.