'The Bachelor' Episode 7 Recap: Clayton Cuts More Than Half His Women Ahead of Hometowns

Topher Grace received a big “Bachelor”-themed surprise during his visit to “The Drew Barrymore Show” on Thursday, March 10.

. After a contentious appearance on «Women Tell All,» the villain of Clayton Echard's season stopped by the podcast to weigh in on all the drama that played out.«I do regret isolating myself from the women. I wish I got a chance to know them a little bit more.

Clayton Echard is responding to criticism that he was gaslighting Susie prior to her exit from the Fantasy Suite dates in Iceland, insisting that that characterization doesn't add up, though he does feel «embarrassed.»During an interview that aired Wednesday on Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti's , Clayton took issue with the accusation for several reasons, which ultimately boiled down to the fact that he never had any ill-will feelings behind the way it all played out.«It's tough because I've seen what everyone's saying and they're using some pretty descriptive terms, some pretty heavy-hitting terms that I couldn't disagree with more,» he said. «I don't agree that I was gaslighting because I looked that up, and it said gaslighting, the definition is to try and convince someone of a different reality than what is actually the true reality of the situation.»«Gaslighting,» he continued.

Clayton Echard is looking back at the way he treated one of the women during this week’s edition of “The Bachelor” with some regrets.

Bachelor Nation, prepare for another messy ending. Clayton Echard, Jesse Palmer and more have been promising a dramatic finale to season 26 for weeks — and it’s finally (almost) here.

a preview that aired at the end of Tuesday night's episode, host Jesse Palmer ominously states, «Welcome to the rose ceremony from hell.»Jesse's words may not be far off, as it's during that upcoming rose ceremony that Clayton Echard tells Rachel and Gabby, his final two women, that he's in love with — and was intimate with — both of them.When ET spoke with Clayton ahead of the episode, he assured fans that there was a reason he came clean in that way, noting that it «felt justified based off of what all had occurred.»What occurred, as fans now know, is that Susie left the show after learning the truth of Clayton's feelings and intimacy with the other two women. Still, Clayton knew his decisions likely wouldn't go over well with America.«I will not have 100 percent of people on my side.

Clayton Echard may not get his happy ending. At the conclusion of Tuesday night's episode of , fans got a sneak peek at next week's two-part finale, which promises to bring epic amounts of drama and tears.After Susie left the show in tears upon learning that Clayton was in love with — and had slept with — both Rachel and Gabby, the two remaining women get the same confession from the Bachelor.«I want to be fully transparent,» Clayton tells Rachel and Gabby at the upcoming rose ceremony.

Clayton Echard has narrowed it down to his final two women. Tuesday night's episode of , saw its leading man travel to Iceland for Fantasy Suite dates with Rachel, Gabby and Susie, all of which ET is breaking down in the recap below.Clayton went into the week believing he «might be falling in love with all three of these women, and I also might already be in love with Susie,» and his love for all three women grew even more throughout the episode.He went deep with Rachel, had a dune buggy date with Gabby, and enjoyed a swimsuit-clad adventure with Susie, but one woman broke things off after revealing her biggest deal breaker.Keep reading for a full recap of episode 9 of .Rachel landed the first date of the week, which left Susie stewing in uncertainty, as Susie told the cameras, «If I find out that he’s falling in love with other women, or that he has become physically intimate with another woman, that would be devastating.”Rachel, meanwhile, went into the date with nerves, after hearing her name called last during the rose ceremony the week before. The pair embarked on a scenic helicopter ride full of PDA, as Clayton admitted that he and Rachel have „the strongest physical connection“ out of his remaining women.When they landed, the couple headed 400 feet underground inside an inactive volcano.

Even worse than it looks? Clayton Echard teased what fans can expect from his Bachelor ending after months of anticipation.

The Bachelor's Clayton Echard. I jokingly ask whether he's received one of ABC's press mailers that included a huge Bachelor body pillow, and his answer is quite telling. “I have one, but not with me,” he says.

Clayton Echard. ET spoke with the teacher after the taping of Monday's «Women Tell All» special, and she opened up about her exit from, and why she accepted Clayton's apology during the reunion show.When they were reunited, Clayton apologized to Serene for making her wonder if he was ending things because he couldn't reciprocate her confession of love.«I really feel terrible and I want to apologize, because I hope you don’t close off going forward,» Clayton told Serene.

Clayton Echard just confronted some of his season's most controversial women. During 's «Women Tell All» special on Monday, the leading man was reunited with Shanae and Sarah, two people he sent home under less-than-positive conditions.Up first was Shanae, and Clayton took loads of criticism from Sierra and others for not sending her home when multiple women suggested he do just that.«We had a connection.

Clayton Echard's exes got a shocking social media message at the start of the season. During 's «Women Tell All» special on Monday, host Jesse Palmer revealed that one of Clayton's brothers DM'd Teddi when the show started airing.«Clayton’s brother did reach out to me. I didn’t reply,» Teddi explained during the episode. «I will say, I think one Echard boy in my lifetime was enough for me.»When ET spoke with Teddi after the taping, she gave more details about what went down with the other Echard brother.«He followed me after all of the girls were announced for the season,» Teddi said.

Clayton Echard's journey was anything but easy. While speaking with ET, Clayton revealed when he hit his lowest while filming the season, and opened up about the surrounding controversy that's sure to only ramp up amid the final few episodes.After saying goodbye to Cassidy, Shanae, Sarah and others for reasons of questionable intentions, Clayton was left with three women: Susie, Gabby and Rachel. According to one preview, though, the possibility of someone being there for the wrong reasons remained, even with his final three women.«I had to figure out who was here for me and who might be here for an opportunity.

Clayton Echard had a major realization when he sent Serene home. On Monday night's episode of , Clayton said goodbye to Serene after she told him «I love you» during her hometown date.Before getting in the car and leaving Bachelor Mansion, Serene asked Clayton if he was ending things because he couldn't reciprocate her confession of love.

Clayton Echard just took the next step with his final four women. On Monday night's episode of , the medical sales rep traveled across the country to meet Susie, Gabby, Serene and Rachel's families, all of which ET is breaking down in the recap below.In Virginia with Susie, Clayton got a peek into the wedding videographer's heart, thanks to a touching story from her dad.

Final fling before the ring! Patrick Mahomes went out with his boys in Las Vegas for a bachelor party before his wedding to Brittany Matthews.