'Bachelorette' Ashley 'in dark place' next week

Published Jun 15 2011, 12:18 BST  |  By Lara Martin

The Bachelorette host Chris Harrison has said that viewers will see Ashley Hebert at her "lowest point" on next week's episode of the show.

The dental student is currently trying to recover from frontrunner Bentley's shocking departure last week, which left her sobbing and heartbroken.

She travelled to Phuket, Thailand with her remaining 12 men on Monday night's instalment, but frequently mentioned that she was thinking about Bentley. A promo for next week's episode hints that she will have to confront her emotions soon when she comes face-to-face with the bachelor once again.

Writing in his post-episode blog for Entertainment Weekly about next week, host Harrison said: "We head off to the exotic city of Chiang Mai with a dark ominous cloud hanging over us literally and figuratively.

"Next week's episode really ends with Ashley in a dark place questioning everything even more than she is now. It was easily her lowest point in the show."

This week's instalment saw Ashley enjoying one-on-one dates with Constantine and Ames, and a group date that involved renovating an orphanage which houses children affected by the tsunami of 2004.

Harrison added in his blog that although Ashley had fun on her dates this week, her "heart and mind were still with Bentley", who seemed to leave the door open for a reunion during his break-up with the bachelorette.

Widower West was eventually sent home, although there was not a second elimination at the rose ceremony as planned after Ashley requested an additional rose.

"Right now she's so emotionally confused she's really worried about making a mistake by sending a great guy home," explained Harrison.

Ashley, who had been warned before the show began that Bentley might not be there for the right reasons, previously admitted that she felt "hurt" watching his departure unfold on screen. He had told her that he was leaving because he missed his young daughter but told viewers that he simply wasn't attracted to the bachelorette.

"The first couple of episodes I gave him the benefit of the doubt but the third one it looked like he was going in there and intentionally trying to make me fall for him and break my heart," she told Jimmy Kimmel.

"From the bottom of my heart, that hurt me so much. Just being a human being. Why would somebody what to do that?"

The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.