The Bachelor viewers have been taking to social media in their droves over the past few days after being left majorly confused by contestant Rachel Recchia's behavior.
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The latest episode of the ABC reality dating show saw Clayton Echard visit the hometowns of his potential suitresses to meet their loved ones. During his trip to Rachel's home in Clermont, Florida, they couldn't help but notice that her voice changed and was much huskier than in previous episodes.
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It seemed to only get worse as the episode continued, and at the rose ceremony, she hardly spoke at all. The reason behind Rachel's changing voice was not addressed in the show, leading many fans to take to Twitter to discuss and put forward their theories.
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One asked fellow The Bachelor fans: "What's wrong with Rachel's voice. Is she whispering or does she have a cold? #TheBachelorABC.”
Someone else was thinking the same thing, and wrote: "I want to enjoy Rachel's hometown date, but her voice… is she sick? Or is that how she actually sounds?" while a third joked: "Rachel's whispering is even more quiet now that she's lost her voice. About to need subtitles for her next week."
Rachel's voice got quieter and quieter throughout the episode
Another was left wondering if she had coronavirus, writing: "Can someone get Rachel some hot tea? With lemon and honey? Maybe a COVID test?"
However, that theory was quickly debunked when the 25-year-old flight instructor shared a kiss with Clayton toward the end of the episode. If she was positive for the condition, it seems unlikely that show bosses would have allowed the pair to lock lips.
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Elsewhere in the episode, the drama ramped up when Clayton sat down man-to-man with Rachel's father Tony, who she warned was both extremely "protective" and "strict" about her dating life. However, the former NFL player managed to win Tony over after proving that he was fully supportive of Rachel's ambitions to become a pilot.
It seems that Rachel could end up receiving Clayton's final rose when the final airs in just a few weeks' time, on 14 March 2022. The other women competing for Clayton's heart are Susie Evans, a 28-year-old wedding videographer from Virginia and Gabby Windey, a 30-year-old ICU nurse from Illinois.
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