Bachelorette’s Mike Planeta: 5 Things to Know About the Virgin on Katie Thurston’s Season

Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin

Bachelorette’s Mike Planeta: 5 Things to Know About the Virgin on Katie Thurston’s Season

Mike Planeta is certainly not the first virgin to compete on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, but he is the latest. The 31-year-old former baseball player is looking for love on Katie Thurston’s season of The Bachelorette. He revealed during the June 7 premiere that he is waiting to have sex. While Katie has been dubbed the “sex-positive” Bachelorette, she told Us Weekly not to count Mike out. “I will say, you’ll have to find out how that relationship goes, but I was pleasantly surprised,” she said earlier this month. The Washington native added that sex will be a common theme on her season. “You’ll see it incorporated throughout my journey, conversations around sex,” Katie said. “Because it is important in a relationship. And it’s important to be with me to be able to talk about those things. And if you’re not ready to talk about sex, you’re certainly not ready to get married.” Season 17 cohosts Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe also told Us that Katie’s journey will include sex talk. [jwplayer xe0uIlLo-l3ahXupL] “I mean, talk about evolving on the show,” Kaitlyn, who was slut-shamed on her 2015 season, told Us. “It’s done it in so many ways and that being one of them. And I think it’s important. Virginity is always a topic of conversation. I think sex should be a topic of conversation. Both are OK. And it’s nice to see that because, I mean, if you’re going to get engaged and sex is something that’s important to you, why are we not talking about it?” Katie, meanwhile, told Glamour that she “definitely talked” to Kaitlyn about her past, which included sleeping with one of her contestants before the fantasy suite dates. “You guys are going to see some conversations around that because it is 2021, and it’s important we talk about it, especially with our partners,” she said. The Bachelorette airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. Scroll through for 5 things to know about Mike:

Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin

Bachelorette’s Mike Planeta: 5 Things to Know About the Virgin on Katie Thurston’s Season

Mike Planeta is certainly not the first virgin to compete on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, but he is the latest. The 31-year-old former baseball player is looking for love on Katie Thurston’s season of The Bachelorette. He revealed during the June 7 premiere that he is waiting to have sex. While Katie has been dubbed the “sex-positive” Bachelorette, she told Us Weekly not to count Mike out. “I will say, you’ll have to find out how that relationship goes, but I was pleasantly surprised,” she said earlier this month. The Washington native added that sex will be a common theme on her season. “You’ll see it incorporated throughout my journey, conversations around sex,” Katie said. “Because it is important in a relationship. And it’s important to be with me to be able to talk about those things. And if you’re not ready to talk about sex, you’re certainly not ready to get married.” Season 17 cohosts Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe also told Us that Katie’s journey will include sex talk. [jwplayer xe0uIlLo-l3ahXupL] “I mean, talk about evolving on the show,” Kaitlyn, who was slut-shamed on her 2015 season, told Us. “It’s done it in so many ways and that being one of them. And I think it’s important. Virginity is always a topic of conversation. I think sex should be a topic of conversation. Both are OK. And it’s nice to see that because, I mean, if you’re going to get engaged and sex is something that’s important to you, why are we not talking about it?” Katie, meanwhile, told Glamour that she “definitely talked” to Kaitlyn about her past, which included sleeping with one of her contestants before the fantasy suite dates. “You guys are going to see some conversations around that because it is 2021, and it’s important we talk about it, especially with our partners,” she said. The Bachelorette airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. Scroll through for 5 things to know about Mike:

Credit: Courtesy of Mikey Planeta/Instagram

1. He’s Saving Himself for Marriage … for Now

“I’m waiting for marriage, I’ve never had sex. The stigma is, like, ‘Oh you can’t connect with that.’ But I disagree with that. I want Katie to understand that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being sex-positive. I personally want to share that within marriage, that’s me,” he said during the June 7 premiere. “I mean, if I fall in love with Katie, maybe that’s something that we can, you know, take that road together.” 

Credit: Courtesy of Mikey Planeta/Instagram

2. He’s Religious

Mike is a Christian, which is something that’s important for him as he looks for his future spouse. “He is looking for a woman who loves staying active, will make him laugh, and most importantly, has the same set of values as he does,” his ABC bio reads.

Katie, for her part, hasn’t been super vocal about her religious beliefs but competed for Matt James’ heart earlier this year and the former football player was upfront about his relationship with God being important to him. Katie touched on this when she reflected on her decision to bring a vibrator on night one of season 25.

“It actually summarized me perfectly … and I could do nothing but be myself. I knew Matt is religious, I know I don’t know him personally, so I knew it could very well send me home night one,” she said on “Bachelor Happy Hour” in January. “And I would have no regrets.” 

Credit: Courtesy of Mikey Planeta/Instagram

3. He Was Drafted in the MLB at 19

Mike was the 27th pick by the Baltimore Orioles organization in 2009 at 19 years old after attending Glendale Community College in Arizona. The outfielder played for five seasons in the minor leagues.

Credit: ABC/Craig Sjodin

4. His Current Job

Mike hung up his baseball bat in 2013 and currently owns a gym in San Diego.

Credit: Courtesy of Mikey Planeta/Instagram

5. He Has 3 Sisters

Mike often shares photos with his parents and three sisters — Colleen, Mary Kate and Claire. His bio explains, “Mike’s family is extremely important to him so, ideally, he is looking to find someone whom his parents and three sisters absolutely adore.”