Katie Thurston Talks The Bachelorette And Falling in Love "More Than Once"

Roses and group dates and one-on-ones, oh my! Buckle up Bachelor Nation, Katie Thurston is looking for love! The Bachelorette season 17 is premiering tonight and we are so excited. After lots of controversy and changes in Bachelor Nation, fans are ready to get back to watching the shows they love.

Thanks to an exclusive from ET, here is the scoop on Katie Thurston's journey to find love on The Bachelorette.

Katie Thurston is Falling in Love

After appearing as a contestant on Matt James' season of The Bachelor, Katie Thurston is still looking for love. Thankfully, the 30-year-old star reveals, "I fall in love more than once" on her season of The Bachelorette.

Teasing about whether or not she is still in love after filming, Katie says that is, "something to find out."

While Katie showcases her compassion for others and sense of humor on The Bachelor, she and Matt James do not form a successful romantic connection and he sends her home.

So now with her own show, Katie is ready to fall in love!

Katie Talks Female Empowerment

As for what to expect during this season of The Bachelorette, Katie Thurston says "Nothing’s off limits this season," adding "Love is love, and I gotta do what I gotta do."

Katie also does not shy away from talking about her sex-positive attitude. She shares, "I have sex in the fantasy suites, so you heard it here first. We all know it happens, but no one’s talking about it!"

She further explains, "I'm embracing who I am and if a guy can't accept me being sex-positive or talking about sex, it's just not gonna work out. There are some people who are a little traditional and old school, but people around my age and younger, we're here for it. It's 2021, embrace your sexuality and be an empowered woman."

What Katie Wants in A Man

As viewers know, each season of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette begins with the star meeting a large group of contestants to get to know throughout the season. But how do you decide who stays and who to send home? Katie offers fans some insight.

She says she is looking for someone who is "passionate about life [and] for what he's doing in life." She also adds that other qualities she looks for are "Definitely a good sense of humor, and then kindness. I think that's a really big thing that people kind of overlook."

Katie highlights the diversity of her cast saying, "Diversity was very important, but also getting to highlight their stories. I think that's something that unfortunately a lot of people missed with the women on my season. I'm really excited for everyone to get to know these guys, know their stories, because they have something great to share."

She says her group of guys, "are so great this season."

Get the scoop here on the cast of men for Katie's season of The Bachelorette!

How Katie Thurston Gets Through The Season

The Bachelor franchise is going through some changes in light of controversy surrounding former contestant Rachael Kirkconnell and former host Chris Harrison. Katie's season of The Bachelorette is hosted by former stars of the show Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe.

Regarding Chris Harrison's departure from the show Katie says, "I support any growth that he is going through. I think he's taken the time away, which is probably a good decision for him… I think whenever he feels like he's ready [to return] then that's a decision that he has to make with the franchise."

Since her season is hosted by two former Bachelorettes, Katie gets a different experience than past stars. She says, "I was just very blessed to have Tayshia and Kaitlyn help me through that journey. It's something that I will forever be thankful for. If it wasn't for Tayshia and Kaitlyn and some other people that you guys will find out about, I don't know that I could've done it."

"They helped me from start to finish," she continues "They'd gone through it. [Their advice] really means something to me."

Katie is not going to spoil the season, but she does say that she is "very happy." She also adds, "Everything happens for a reason, and when you embrace that and let go of control then you find your happiness."

She jokes, "I'm engaged to myself, that's what I've been saying for now." So if viewers want to find out if she really is engaged, we will have to watch the season!