‘Bachelorette’ Kaitlyn Bristowe Joins ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 29

Kaitlyn Bristowe is finally getting her shot on Dancing With the Stars. The former Bachelorette couldn’t believe it when Chris Harrison told her on Monday’s episode of The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons — Ever! that she had been chosen to compete on the upcoming 29th season of the ABC dance competition show.

Bristowe’s enthusiastic response was in part due to claims she made three years ago that she was initially offered a DWTS spot after her season of the ABC dating show, but was blocked by The Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss, who allegedly “said he didn’t want people wanting fame after his show.” Bristowe told Entertainment Tonight’s Lauren Zima Monday that she had “zero idea” about being offered the spot on Season 29. “I love that I will always be able to look back on that moment and it was… really, really special,” she said of having the reaction filmed.

“I just think it goes to show if you really are into it and you are strong with what you believe in and fight for what you want — and as long as you are a good person doing those things — even if it takes five years, something good will come from it,” she continued.

Bristowe addressed the tension with Fleiss, saying they had “bumped heads” when she was “super frustrated” at the way male leads were being offered opportunities after the shows that their female counterparts were missing out on. “And then I got to a point where I was like, ‘You know what? That probably wouldn’t have been a great time for me to go on. I just got off [The Bachelorette], don’t want to jump into another one. I’ll let it go,’” she continued.

The reality star added she had emailed Fleiss and ABC executive Rob Mills recently thanking them for the opportunity to be on DWTS and expressing sadness at their “miscommunications” over the years. “[Fleiss] said that he was so happy to hear from me and he would love to have a conversation,” she continued. “And I think we’re friends now.”

Bristowe said her “dream partner” for the season would be Derek Hough, who left the show in Season 23. Another favorite pro is Gleb Savchenko, she noted, although she can’t wait to meet whoever she ends up paired with. “I’ll be happy with whoever they partner me with. I just feel like they’re all incredible,” she said. “They have to be to be on that show. So, my [new] dream partner could be just whoever they put me with.”