Who Is Jesse Palmer? 5 Things to Know About ‘The Bachelor’ Season 26 Host

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Who Is Jesse Palmer? 5 Things to Know About 'The Bachelor' Season 26 Host

Meet the not-so-new kid on the block! Jesse Palmer was announced as the host of The Bachelor season 26, and longtime viewers might remember the athlete. Palmer, 42, was the Bachelor in 2004, and his arrival marked new territory for the show. He was the first ever professional athlete to look for love on the ABC reality show, and he was the first non-American Bachelor. Though he and winner Jessica Bowlin weren't a match made in heaven, Palmer has a famous rose ceremony moment in Bachelor history due to his bad memory. The Canadian, who was 24 at the time, gave a rose to Katie Gehart before he stepped away to speak to then-host Chris Harrison. He revealed that he mixed up names and actually meant to give the rose to Karen Lindsay. While he fixed the blunder, he asked Gehart to stay as well rather than sending her home. Harrison officially exited The Bachelor in June after his controversial defense of Rachael Kirkconnell’s past racial insensitivity. He received an eight-figure payout amid his departure. As his replacement, Palmer will get the chance to help Clayton Echard — the suitor from Michelle Young's upcoming Bachelorette season who Us Weekly confirmed is the new Bachelor earlier this month — through tough spots similar to the ones he faced more than 15 years ago. The football player expressed his excitement to fill the role when he was announced as host on Tuesday, September 28. “For more than 20 years, The Bachelor has brought the world dozens of unforgettable love stories, including at one time, my own,” Palmer said in a statement to Us. “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.” [jwplayer 3yRJuusm-zhNYySv2] The TV personality credits The Bachelor with his post-NFL career, but he truly hadn't realized just how many opportunities the search for love would give him. “The show put me in front of a completely different audience and demographic," he told Resident in their March 2020 cover story. "I was 24 years old at the time and thought it was this cool life experience. I did it in the off-season in Los Angeles. I was very naïve to the doors that it would open down the road." The former Bachelor explained that he "really had no idea what I was stepping into but it ended up being a great experience and it would benefit me later on in life. All I can say is that it was wild and crazy! This really led to new opportunities, including with the Food Network and then Good Morning America, which introduced me to a totally new demographic all over again. My television career has really been evolving due to my being able to do a variety of different things.” Learn more about Palmer ahead of his hosting gig below: [podcast_block]

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1. He Was Heartbroken After Breaking Up With His 'Bachelor' Winner

Palmer and Bowlin called it quits just a few months after getting together in 2004. Though they were never engaged, Palmer later revealed he struggled with their breakup in a 2012 appearance on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight.

“Well, that was devastating. The last part of that, when I was 24 years old, and realizing that was not going to work out, that was tough," he recalled.

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2. He Played in the NFL

The Canadian was scouted for the University of Florida's football team and was drafted to the NFL straight out of college. He played four seasons with the New York Giants and one with the San Francisco 49ers before returning to Canada to join their football league. He retired in 2007.

Credit: Courtesy of Emely Fardo Palmer/Instagram

3. He's Engaged

Though The Bachelor didn't result in true love, he found his soulmate eventually. The Ottawa native has been dating Emely Fardo since 2017 and they got engaged in 2019. Palmer proposed to the Brazilian model in Champagne, France.

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4. He Has Hosting Experience

Harrison wasn't replaced with just any Bachelor alum. In addition to being a sports analyst on ESPN, Palmer has hosted The Proposal and The Ultimate Surfer for ABC. He also MC'd Food Network's Holiday Baking Championship.

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5. He Has Family in Canada

Though he has lived in New York for many years, he wasn't made in Manhattan. Born in Toronto, Palmer grew up in Ottawa with his mom Susan, a model who later owned her own agency, and dad Bill, a professional football player in the Canadian Football League. He also has a younger brother, Billy.