[ad_1]
The next star of “The Bachelor” will be an unknown face, but not for long.
Sources tell Variety that ABC’s new main man for season 26 of the hit dating show is Clayton Echard, although ABC and Warner Bros. TV declined to comment on this story.
If Echard’s name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s because Bachelor Nation hasn’t met him yet. Echard will be introduced to America as a contender in the upcoming season of “The Bachelorette,” which premieres October 19, and stars fan favorite Michelle Young.
“The Bachelor” typically releases in January, right after the New Year, but insiders say production begins this month.
Leaked photos of Echard with a camera crew were released on Wednesday by E! News in a speculative article, wondering if he would be the new “Bachelor”. Several sources tell Variety that Echard is indeed ABC’s choice, but it won’t be officially announced as “The Bachelor” anytime soon – after all, Young’s season of “The Bachelorette” hasn’t even aired yet.
Echard is 28 years old and comes from Missouri. He played college football at Mizzou and, as an undrafted rookie in 2016, was signed with the Seattle Seahawks. The former tight end describes himself as an “exhausted athlete who is now trying his luck in orthopedic sales,” according to his Instagram biography. (For the record, at the time of this article’s publication, Echard has 1,648 followers on Instagram, which is sure to grow exponentially, as his profile grows on the ABC dating show.)
Initially, there were timing issues with choosing someone from Young’s season, given that the production schedule of “The Bachelor” and the release date of “The Bachelorette” would cause complications as to the timing. moment when it would make sense to announce the next male star. But, insiders say that during Young’s season, producers fell in love with Echard and he rose to the top of the network’s shortlist, after a slew of other Bachelor Nation men were took into consideration.
Greg Grippo, for his part, was a serious contender at one point, but ABC chose not to accompany him as the next leader. Grippo was a season favorite of Katie Thurston’s “The Bachelorette,” but after his final episodes aired he was struck by negative headlines and social media discussions when Thurston accused him of the to have “enlightened”. (More on that here.) Grippo was also involved in rumors that he was actually an actor and wasn’t really looking for love on the reality show.
Prior to settling on Echard, sources claim that the network had met other contenders from the Thurston season and also the current “Bachelor in Paradise”.
(The network and studio generally don’t comment on any casting rumors regarding the franchise, and ABC and Warner Bros. TV have declined to comment on Echard. “
As for Young, the school teacher was featured as a contestant for Matt James’ season of “The Bachelor” and became a quick favorite among viewers. The team behind the franchise are said to be extremely excited about its upcoming season of “The Bachelorette,” which is being hailed internally as one of the best seasons in recent memory.
Season 26 of “The Bachelor” will be the first season of the flagship show not to be hosted by Chris Harrison, who left the franchise earlier this year.
[ad_2]
Source link