Here's Everything To Know About The Bachelor's New Host

With every season in the Bachelor franchise, there’s a new lead and a whole new cast of contestants to get to know. But it’s not every season that fans get to know a whole new host. On Sept. 28, ABC announced Jesse Palmer will be the host of the upcoming season of The Bachelor. He’ll take on the role after Chris Harrison stepped down in summer 2021. Bachelor Nation will be spending a lot of time with Jesse in 2022 for Season 26 of The Bachelor, so here’s everything you need to know about him to get ready.

Season 26 will be the first season of The Bachelor since the franchise became host-less. Since then, Bachelor in Paradise Season 7 has been hosted by a group of rotating celebrity hosts, and The Bachelorette is being hosted by former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe. No decision has been yet whether or not Jesse will be the permanent host of The Bachelor moving forward, but he definitely has the gig for this next season.

In a statement released by ABC, he said of this new gig:

For more than 20 years, The Bachelor has brought the world dozens of unforgettable love stories, including at one time, my own. 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.

Here are all the facts you need to know before Jesse starts his hosting journey:

1. Jesse is a former Bachelor.

Jesse is no stranger to Bachelor Nation. Back in 2004, he was the Season 5 Bachelor. At the end of his season, he chose Jessica Bowlin, but they broke up shortly after. One of his most memorable moments as Bachelor happened early on in his season, when he said the wrong name during his first rose ceremony. Hopefully the next Bachelor won’t follow Jesse’s lead with that one.

2. Jesse is an experienced host.

After his time as the Bachelor, Jesse became a sports commentator on ESPN and hosted shows like The Proposal, Holiday Baking Championship, and ABC’s Disney Parks holiday specials. Most recently, he hosted The Ultimate Surfer on ABC. So, it seems like hosting The Bachelor is totally in Jesse’s wheelhouse.

3. Jesse is a former football player.

Before he went on The Bachelor, Jesse was a quarterback in the NFL; he played for both the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. He then went back to his home country of Canada to play in the CFL for the Montreal Alouettes.

4. Jesse knows how to find lasting love.

In 2019, Jesse got engaged to Brazilian model Emely Fardo during a trip to France. In his Instagram post about their engagement, he wrote, “I asked for an angel to be brought into my life...and it was you.”

Fans will get to see a whole lot more of Jesse when he takes over as host of The Bachelor in 2022.