Following a public tussle with Bachelor and Bachelorette producer Mike Fleiss earlier this year, Kaitlyn Bristowe is making it known that she still is down to do Dancing with the Stars. In March, former Bachelorette Bristowe alleged that in 2015, Fleiss told her she "wasn't allowed" to join DWTS after she had already nabbed a contract — striking up a conversation about why so few Bachelorettes appear on the reality series in comparison to Bachelors. But Bristowe isn't harboring any kind of a grudge against ABC, the home of both reality shows. In fact, she says she'd join the cast tomorrow if given the chance.
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Bristowe, a former dance instructor and the daughter of a ballet dancer, got candid with ET Online about the possibility during a recent taping of her new podcast, Off the Vine. "Dancing is, honestly, it's a passion of mine. I've never done ballroom dancing, so that would be very new to me," she said. Bristowe so wants to be a part of the show that when ET asked if she would sign on for the next season if ABC reached out tomorrow, she said she would. And she thinks fiancé Shawn Booth would be on board as well. "I think he'd be so supportive and I think it'd be fun," she said, "but I also don't think they'll do that."
Given her tiff with Fleiss, Bristowe isn't counting on being asked to join DWTS — which has welcomed four Bachelors but only one Bachelorette (Trista Sutter in season 1) over its 24 seasons. Instead, Bristowe thinks current Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay will be ABC's next pick. "I think that because I stirred up a little bit of controversy and it got some backlash towards whoever, I think for sure, she'll go and do Dancing With the Stars now," she explained. "Just so they can be like, 'See! No, no, look, we do it for The Bachelorettes, too! Yeah, see? We just did it!'"
Back in March, Bristowe tweeted, "I was offered [DWTS], had the contract & Mike Fliess told me I wasn't allowed.He said he didnt [sic] want people wanting fame after his show." Fleiss replied that he would be supportive of Bristowe doing DWTS — two years after the fact. Their exchange prompted accusations of sexism when it comes to the professional opportunities given to Bachelor and Bachelorette alumni. "I believe men and women should be afforded the same opportunities," she told ET in March. "I was told by Mike that it is bad for his brand, and that he is sick of people wanting fame from his show." She also claimed that when she told Fleiss dancing was her passion, "I was told Shawn should be my only passion."