Emily Maynard is ecstatic that ex Arie Luyendyk Jr. is the season 22 Bachelor.
“I can’t think of a better person to be The Bachelor than Arie and I’ve been hoping this day would come since Season 8 ended!” Maynard, 31, exclusively tells Us Weekly in a statement. “He’s a gentleman through and through and all the girls on his season are lucky to have him.”
She adds: “I’ll be wishing him nothing but the best because that’s absolutely what he deserves!”
Luyendyk Jr., 35, was Maynard’s runner-up in her season 8 of The Bachelorette in 2012. She chose Jef Holm, but the pair split in October 2012.
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ABC officially (and finally!) revealed that Luyendyk Jr. would be the next hunk to hand out roses during Good Morning America on Thursday.
“The timing really fit,” the race car driver said. “I kind of kept things under wraps because I didn’t know how this would turn out. It’s been such a quick turn of events and my family doesn’t know so now they know so they know along with you guys.”
Luyendyk Jr. had been keeping quiet on social media leading up to the news. He last posted on Instagram on July 27, but returned on Thursday after the reveal. “This is happening! #TheBachelor,” he captioned a pic of himself at GMA.
