As The Golden Bachelor winds down, Bachelor in Paradise is still heating up.
“There’s still a lot to come. I mean, time’s running out on the beach, but a lot can happen in a very small amount of time,” Jesse Palmer exclusively told Us Weekly. “Up to this point, there’ve been a lot of familiar faces that have shown up to the beach. That trend is going to continue. There’s still some more faces and some more people still coming to the beach that I think is going to be a bit of a surprise. You never know who it’s going to be in the end and what couples end up [finding] love. There’s still time for that as well.”
In the promo for season 9 of BiP, ABC teased that a couple will exchange vows on the beaches of Mexico. Some fans, however, were convinced that the teaser is just that — a tease.
“The wedding, I’m so excited for people to see. It’s a real full circle moment,” Jesse insisted. “Obviously, I can’t say who it is, but that is one of my fondest memories from hosting these last couple of years on all four shows now. It was really, really special, really magical. I’m excited for people to see it.”
The nuptials could be alums returning to tie the knot, or a current couple on the beach. During the last episode of BiP, things got awkward when Katie Thurston arrived to host a roast.
“It was a little bit of both,” Jesse told Us when asked whether the roast was fun or awkward. “I think there were times where Katie, Wells [Adams] and I were kind of sitting at the table and I think we couldn’t believe they’re actually going where they went at times. But I mean, listen, I come from locker room culture, so I mean, nothing’s off limits. So I love a good roast myself, but there were some cringe moments where I thought, ‘Man, that sounded a bit personal. I don’t know if that’s just a joke. That was unique.'”
Jesse wasn’t even safe from the jokes, with Peter Izzo referring to the host as a “thumb.”
“I thought it was so funny and … it was so quick and timed so well by Pete,” he said. “I give him full props for that.”
Kat Izzo (not related to Pete) was also a target for her rocky romance with Brayden Bowers and being accused of stealing John Henry-Spurlock from Olivia Lewis.
“I really like Kat and I’ve gotten to know Kat, from Zach’s season through Paradise, on and off camera a little bit and spent some time with her,” Jesse told Us about the backlash Kat has received on and off screen. “And she really is a lovely person with a huge heart. It’s funny, I think you don’t always see the true person throughout the course of a season. So everybody really seems to be on board with Brayden all of a sudden after what happened on Charity’s season. Same with Shanae [Ankney] last year on Paradise, too. They saw a side of her on Clayton’s season and they saw a completely different side of her — and a realer, more true side — once they get to Paradise.”
Jesse noted that the audience shouldn’t give up on Kat just yet.
“I know it has been an up and down experience for her. She’s there because she deserves the chance to find somebody and meet somebody,” he said. “And she’s worthy of that opportunity and I hope she’s going to get it. Obviously, it’s been an interesting ride so far, but there’s still time left and I’m excited for people to see how Kat’s story on the beach is going to end.”
Bachelor in Paradise airs on ABC Thursdays after The Golden Bachelor.
