Who Is Jesse Palmer, The New Host Of The Bachelor?
The cast and crew of "The Bachelor" have experienced some of the most — dare we say — "dramatic" changes in franchise history throughout the last year since Chris Harrison's controversial step back in March. In the latest turn of events, ABC announced Jesse Palmer as the new host of the upcoming iteration of "The Bachelor," which has yet to have a confirmed premiere date. As Us Weekly reported on September 28, the network revealed the Toronto native will serve as the host of Season 26. The outlet also reported that Clayton Echard is set to be the Bachelor in the 26th season, though ABC has yet to confirm the contestant from Michelle Young's season of "The Bachelorette" landed the lead role.
Reacting to the news of his future hosting gig, Palmer said he was "grateful to play a small part" in the Bachelor's journey. In a statement to Us Weekly, Palmer marveled over the "opportunity" and praised the ABC series for "[bringing] the world dozens of unforgettable love stories" over the last 20-plus years. Adding that "falling in love is one of life's greatest gifts," Palmer said he was "humbled" to be chosen as the host.
The handsome hunk isn't the only one to commentate the hit reality program, though, as former Bachelorettes Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams shared duties on Katie Thurston's season, followed by Michelle's Season 18, which is set to premiere on October 19. To learn all about Palmer ahead of his hosting gig on "The Bachelor," keep scrolling!
This isn't Jesse Palmer's first time appearing in 'The Bachelor' franchise
If you're wondering why Jesse Palmer looks familiar, it's probably because he is! Not only is he a Canadian television star, but he's a former frontman of "The Bachelor." Just when the reality show was getting off the ground in the early 2000s, Palmer appeared as the Bachelor of Season 5 in 2004. Though his time on the show ended in an engagement with Jessica Bowlin, the pair ended their relationship just one month after the finale aired. Palmer confirmed their split at the time, telling Us Weekly in a statement, "Jessica and I shared an incredible romantic journey on the show that began with a friendship that remains strong today. We simply realized that, individually, our next steps take us in different directions."
Since their highly publicized breakup, Palmer has found love with Brazilian model Emely Fardo. The couple has been together since at least August 2017, as Fardo first appeared on Palmer's Instagram at the time. He uploaded a sweet photo of the pair looking lovey-dovey and wrote, "Wonderful first day in Paris." Though People reports that the two are engaged, it's possible that they may have secretly tied the knot at some point based on their social media accounts. Not only did the brunette bombshell change her Instagram name to "Emely Fardo Palmer," but the TV star began sporting a wedding band on his ring finger in photos around May.
Jesse Palmer is a professional athlete-turned-television broadcaster
To no surprise, Jesse Palmer's talents go way beyond appearing on television. Prior to paving a career as a reality TV star, Palmer became known for his skills on the football field. Upon graduating from the University of Florida in 2001, he was drafted into the National Football League by the New York Giants that same year. Palmer spent the next four years as a backup behind starter Kerry Collins until he was released from the Giants in 2005. Before he retired from playing football, he had brief stints on the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League, as well as the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, per American Football Database.
In 2007, Palmer put down his helmet and picked up the microphone when he pursued his broadcasting endeavors. He immediately began working as a studio analyst for college football on ESPN, which led to his 2011 series the "Palmer and Pollack Show" with David Pollack. Not only has he lent his expertise on several sport-related programs, including "ESPN College Football Thursday Primetime," CTV's pop culture news program "eTalk," and announcing for the SEC Network, but Palmer has also been featured on a bevy of other reality series. In addition to hosting ABC's new streaming show "The Ultimate Surfer," Palmer's Instagram bio says he's the host of Food Network's "Holiday Baking Championship." It sounds like Palmer will be the perfect guy to take Chris Harrison's spot on "The Bachelor!"