Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor has been on for a while now and the ladies have been keeping things j-u-i-c-y. Of course, much of this is thanks to one woman being the season’s “villain,” aka the person charged with keeping the drama flames ablaze. Enter Shanae Ankney, the contestant some viewers love to hate and the cause of #ShrimpGate2022. Shanae has definitely done and said many *questionable* things so far this season (outing someone’s neurodivergence is NOT cool), but it’s also worth noting that this *is* reality TV and editing is involved to create storylines.
Anyhoo, before the season even aired on January 3, Reality Steve revealed that Shanae would be “this season’s villain,” and the Bachelor producers did not disappoint. So naturally, the time has come to get to know more about Shanae. Buckle up!
She’s Around the Same Age as Clayton
A slightly random fact, but contestants of various ages have been cast on Clayton’s season—from as young as 23 to as “old” as 33. Clayton is 28 and Shanae is 29, so they are right around the same age/in the same ~life phase~.
She’s From Sycamore, Ohio
Shanae is one of several contestants from Ohio, including Kara G. and Samantha J. If she makes it to hometown dates (and that’s a big “if” considering she’s getting a villain edit), we’ll presumably see her and Clayton travel there together.
She’s Public on Instagram
She was private at one point, most likely during the filming process (ABC is known to ask contestants to go private once they are cast on the show, probably to avoid uh...sleuthing...like this), but now her page is back open for the world to see! Happy lurking, babes!
She’s a Director of Recruiting
According to what appears to be her LinkedIn, Shanae works for OPOC.us:
“I have been with OPOC.us for five years, and recently began my position as Director of Recruiting,” she writes. “I have past experience in administrative assistance with a neurosurgeon at The Ohio State University. I am also a licensed cosmetologist. I enjoy any opportunities to grow my professional skills and make a difference in the lives of the people I work with.”
One of Her ABC Bio Fun Facts is Truly Riotous
I mean, just listen to this: “Shanae is not interested in dating a man who performs magic.” LOL what?! But also, same. Aside from that, the rest of Shanae’s bio is pretty tame. It reads:
“Shanae is a small-town girl with a HUGE personality. She describes herself as faithful, patient, and lovable and is here to find a man who can keep up with her in all facets of life. She is looking for a man with confidence that won’t waste time playing games. She also values her independence, so while Shanae wants to build a life with someone, she also wants someone who encourages her to achieve the goals she has set for herself. Above all, Shanae wants to be able to be herself with a man who will honor and cherish her for the gem that she is.”
Below is a spoiler, so flee after this photo of Shanae playing “Never Have I Ever” if you don’t want any details! AGAIN, A SPOILER IS BELOW THE PHOTO.
She Makes It to Clayton’s Top 12
Shanae goes home after the two-on-one date with Genevieve that started in last week's episode and wraps up in tonight’s, according to Reality Steve.
Anyway, there are multiple videos of the date, so enjoy being spoiled!
FYI, Reality Steve also posted a note about Shanae’s “villain” status, saying, “Why Shanae is the villain and the things she did will be shared later. Let’s just say there are a few who emailed me pre-filming that won’t be surprised by this news. This isn’t hate. This isn’t ‘go attack Shanae’ now. Every season has a villain. She’s this season’s.”
Welp! Shanae will *undoubtedly* make for good Bachelor in Paradise drama, so here’s to hoping we’ll see her there!
