Jesse Palmer will replace Chris Harrison as The Bachelor host in 2022
The former professional football player was the Bachelor in season five
When Chris Harrison was booted from hosting the Bachelor franchise, former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe stepped in to co-host Katie Thurston’s season of The Bachelorette and they’ll host Michelle Young’s upcoming season too. Bachelor In Paradise also has been using rotating celebrity guest hosts, including David Spade, Lance Bass, Tituss Burgess, and Lil Jon. Spade in particular became a fan-favorite guest host and even some of the Bachelor In Paradise contestants expressed their excitement at meeting Spade on the show. But sadly, the Joe Dirt star won’t be the permanent replacement for Harrison.
Former Bachelor Jesse Palmer is going to step in to do the job for season 26 of The Bachelor, premiering in 2022.
“For more than 20 years, The Bachelor has brought the world dozens of unforgettable love stories, including at one time, my own,” Palmer says in a statement. “Falling in love is one of life’s greatest gifts, and I am humbled by the opportunity to return to the show as host this season to offer the newest Bachelor advice gained from firsthand experience and I am grateful to play a small part in his journey.”
In case you’re saying to yourself “Who?,” Palmer played for the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Montreal Alouettes in the 2000s. The Canadian former football player became the first non-American Bachelor in 2004.
Though he’s not one of the most recognizable figures from Bachelor Nation, he’s had plenty of hosting gigs since his days on the ABC show. He decided to leave his athletic career behind to become a sports commenter for Fox in 2007, then he joined ESPN. His TV work outside of The Bachelor went so well that he ended up becoming a host on various shows. He’s currently the host of ABC’s The Ultimate Surfer and he hosted the network’s canceled reality show The Proposal, a series created by the Bachelor franchise showrunner Mike Fleiss. He has also hosted The Holiday Baking Championship on The Food Network and multiple Disney Parks Christmas Day Parades.