Jesse Palmer To Host ‘The Bachelor’ Season 26 In 2022 On ABC

Jesse Palmer, who was the fifth Bachelor in 2004, is returning to the ABC reality franchise as host for the upcoming 26th season, set to air in early 2022. The assignment is expanding Palmer’s responsibilities at Disney. An ESPN analyst since 2007, he has also signed an extension and will continue his studio role with the network during the 2021-2022 college football season, the Disney sports network said Tuesday.

Palmer succeeds Chris Harrison, who left The Bachelor at the end of last season amid controversy. Emmanuel Acho stepped in to host the After the Rose special. Harrison eventually exited the entire Bachelor franchise.

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In bringing in a former Bachelor as host, ABC and Warner Bros are following the same blueprint they used for The Bachelorette, currently hosted by former leads Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe, who succeeded Harrison.

“For more than 20 years, The Bachelor has brought the world dozens of unforgettable love stories, including at one time, my own,” said Palmer. “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 2004, Palmer headlined The Bachelor‘s fifth season. Within The Bachelor franchise family, he also hosted ABC’s The Proposal from Warner Horizon and Next Entertainment. Previously, Palmer was a special contributor for ABC’s Good Morning America as well as a contributor across all ABC News platforms.

At the Walt Disney Company, Palmer also has hosted several iterations of ABC’s Disney Parks’ holiday specials, has a leading role in ABC’s presentation of the NFL Draft, and has been a part of the ESPN family since joining in 2007 after five seasons in the NFL. He also served as host of DailyMail TV and most recently hosted ABC’s The Ultimate Surfer.

The Bachelor is a production of Next Entertainment and Warner Bros Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon.

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