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Meet the first 19 contestants who are looking for love on this season of 'Bachelor in Paradise'

Gabbi Shaw,Anneta Konstantinides   

Meet the first 19 contestants who are looking for love on this season of 'Bachelor in Paradise'
The cast of "Bachelor in Paradise" has been announced.Craig Sjodin/ABC/Getty Images
  • "Bachelor in Paradise" will finally return on August 16 after not airing last year due to COVID-19.
  • The main cast for season 7 was announced on July 8, revealing the first 19 contestants.
  • Pprevious contestants from six seasons of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" will hit the beach.

Karl Smith made waves in his short time on Katie Thurston's season of "The Bachelorette."

Karl Smith made waves in his short time on Katie Thurston
Karl Smith.      ABC

Thurston's contestants banded together to help get Smith the boot after he told her that there were men in the house who weren't there for the right reasons.

In a first for a rose ceremony, one of the contestants stepped up and said the men had "come together in solidarity" to tell Thurston that Smith — a motivational speaker — had lied to her, and that they didn't believe she should keep him around.

Thurston listened, and now Smith is headed to Mexico.

Abigail Heringer stole hearts early on during Matt James' season of "The Bachelor," even receiving the first impression rose.

Abigail Heringer stole hearts early on during Matt James
Abigail Heringer.      ABC

The 26-year-old financial manager from Oregon was the franchise's first deaf contestant.

"There's something a little bit different about me, and that is I'm deaf," Heringer, who was eliminated from James' season in week seven, told him during the premiere. "So I'm going to be reading your lips a lot tonight, but thankfully you have really beautiful lips."

Serena Pitt made a big impression on the most recent season of "The Bachelor," making it to the final four of James' season.

Serena Pitt made a big impression on the most recent season of "The Bachelor," making it to the final four of James
Serena Pitt.      ABC

But Pitt — a publicist from Canada — shocked the "Bachelor" star when she decided to break up with him after their hometown date, saying that she'd had "moments where I've struggled."

Mari Pepin-Solis was another contestant on James' season of "The Bachelor."

Mari Pepin-Solis was another contestant on James
Mari Pepin-Solis.      ABC

The Maryland beauty queen — who made the top 10 at Miss USA in 2019 — was eliminated in week four of her season, but she won over fans by refusing to let fellow contestant Victoria James ruin her wedding photo shoot with Matt.

Jessenia Cruz also competed for James' heart on "The Bachelor."

Jessenia Cruz also competed for James
Jessenia Cruz.      ABC

Cruz, a social media marketer from Texas, became a central part of the bullying storyline on James' season when she told him that another contestant, MJ Snyder, had been one of the antagonists.

The pair ended up on a classic two-on-one "Bachelor" date, with Cruz saying that Snyder had lied to James about "toxicity in the house." Snyder was eliminated, while Cruz made it to week seven of the competition.

Serena Chew also made her mark on James' season of "The Bachelor," going head-to-head with future "Bachelorette" star Katie Thurston.

Serena Chew also made her mark on James
Serena Chew.      ABC

Chew, a flight attendant from San Francisco, confronted Thurston for talking to James about bullying among the women.

"I'm continuously being taken away by your antics," Chew told Thurston during one episode. "I don't think you're truly here for Matt." Both women were eliminated shortly after the confrontation.

Few "Bachelor" contestants made more headlines during their stint on the show than Victoria Larson, who dubbed herself "Queen Victoria" during James' season.

Few "Bachelor" contestants made more headlines during their stint on the show than Victoria Larson, who dubbed herself "Queen Victoria" during James
Victoria Larson.      ABC

Larson caused so much trouble in the "Bachelor" mansion — including calling a contestant "the dumbest ho I've ever met" and snatching a crown off someone's head — that many fans accused her of being a producer plant.

Meanwhile, former "Bachelorette" star Rachel Lindsay spoke out against Larson, telling Insider at the time that she was confused why the show continued to promote her antics.

"People are not entertained and amused by Victoria, or the 'queen' as she calls herself, yet she got to go on 'Good Morning America' and was given a bigger platform," Lindsay added. "All her behavior is being rewarded."

Brendan Morais was a fan-favorite on Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams' season of "The Bachelorette," making it to Adams' final three.

Brendan Morais was a fan-favorite on Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams
Brendan Morais.      ABC

But it was Morais who decided to leave the show, realizing he wasn't ready to propose after he and Adams looked at Neil Lane engagement rings during their date.

"There's a big part of me that still needs time to heal," he told Adams during the break-up, referencing his past divorce. "There's a big part of me that still needs time to grow, because I think there are pieces of myself I need to pick up."

Ivan Hall was also beloved on Adams' season before he was surprisingly eliminated due to religious differences.

Ivan Hall was also beloved on Adams
Ivan Hall.      ABC

While Adams is a practicing Christian, Hall — an aeronautical engineer from Texas — identifies as agnostic. Following his elimination, Hall told Insider that he believes the franchise needs more religious diversity.

"Diversity doesn't just mean race to me," he added. " To be able to get those nonreligious stories, or Jewish, or Muslim, or whatever else instead of just Christian, I think would add a lot of value and bring a lot more audience members in that maybe haven't tuned in as much."

Kenny Braasch also competed on Crawley and Adams' season of "The Bachelorette."

Kenny Braasch also competed on Crawley and Adams
Kenny Braasch.      ABC

The 40-year-old boy-band manager never received solo dates from either women, but he was always good at getting a laugh during the group dates.

Noah Erb joined season 16 of "The Bachelorette" when Tayshia Adams became the lead.

Noah Erb joined season 16 of "The Bachelorette" when Tayshia Adams became the lead.
Noah Erb.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

He didn't last long, and was mainly memorable for two things: his moustache, which he let Adams shave on-camera, and his beef with Bennett Jordan that resulted in both of them getting sent home.

Natasha Parker was on Peter Weber's season, and made it to week seven before getting eliminated on a one-on-one date.

Natasha Parker was on Peter Weber
Natasha Parker.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

Parker currently hosts the official Bachelor Nation podcast "Click Bait" alongside Adams and Joe Amabile, so she'll definitely have at least one friend on the beach.

Deandra Kanu was sent home during week four on Weber's season.

Deandra Kanu was sent home during week four on Weber
Deandra Kanu.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

Kanu didn't get much screen-time during her tenure on "The Bachelor," which means she could emerge as a surprise star on the beach.

Kelsey Weir made it all the way to hometowns during Weber's season before getting sent home. You may remember her from #ChampagneGate.

Kelsey Weir made it all the way to hometowns during Weber
Kelsey Weir.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

Weir was also reportedly in the running to be the Bachelorette before it was given to Clare Crawley/Tayshia Adams.

Maurissa Gunn was sent home during night one of Weber's season.

Maurissa Gunn was sent home during night one of Weber
Maurissa Gunn.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

Gunn was one of the women who was introduced individually in the premiere of Weber's season, only to be sent home that night.

Tammy Ly started off as a fan-favorite, but was given a villain edit by the end of her time on Weber's season.

Tammy Ly started off as a fan-favorite, but was given a villain edit by the end of her time on Weber
Tammy Ly.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

Ly was involved in some drama with Kelsey Weir, accusing Weir of being unstable and having a drinking problem. Then, after that didn't pan out, she immediately began beefing with Mykenna Dorn by claiming Dorn was immature. Ly was eventually sent home during a two-on-one date with Dorn by Weber.

However, "Paradise" is a great place for a redemption story.

Victoria Paul (or Victoria P.) made it to week six on Weber's season.

Victoria Paul (or Victoria P.) made it to week six on Weber
Victoria Paul.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

Paul was also involved in drama during her time on the show. She claimed that another contestant, Alayah Benavidez, had asked her to lie to Weber and say they didn't know each other — although they had competed in pageants together and were supposedly good friends.

Paul and Weber ended up mutually deciding that they weren't meant to be and she left the competition.

Joe Amabile, better known as "Grocery Store Joe" was sent home on night one of Becca Kufrin's season, and then appeared on season five of "Bachelor in Paradise."

Joe Amabile, better known as "Grocery Store Joe" was sent home on night one of Becca Kufrin
Joe Amabile.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

Amabile ended up leaving season five brokenhearted after his break-up with Kendall Long, but the two revealed they had reconciled at the finale. They announced their break-up in January 2020.

Tahzjuan Hawkins was eliminated during night one of Colton Underwood's season - but she made a big impression during "Bachelor in Paradise" season six.

Tahzjuan Hawkins was eliminated during night one of Colton Underwood
Tahzjuan Hawkins.      Craig Sjodin/ABC

Hawkins was only on one spectacular episode of the sixth season, during which she went on a very strange date with John Paul Jones, compared herself to a seagull (and other women to pigeons), and freaked out about the heat. All in all, a very memorable "Paradise" contestant — hope she has better luck this time.

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