Former football player and ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer has been tapped by ABC to serve as the new host of its popular dating show “The Bachelor.”
Palmer, who was the fifth Bachelor in 2004, will lead the show following the departure of former longtime host Chris Harrison, who left the network following accusations of racial insensitivity.
ABC also announced this week Palmer signed a new deal with ESPN, which ABC owns, to continue his work as a studio analyst during the 2021-2022 college football season.
“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 announcing his hiring.
“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.”
Palmer, who has been with the network since 2007, has previously hosted Bachelor spinoff shows including “The Proposal” and served as a contributor on “Good Morning America” and other programs, primarily focusing on entertainment news and current events. He played five seasons in the NFL in the early 2000s after a college career at the University of Florida.
Harrison, who had hosted the prime-time dating show for nearly 20 years, was ousted from the program this summer and reportedly walked away from his hosting duties with an eight-figure payoff.
Harrison’s ouster came following his defense of previous “Bachelor” contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who came under fire when pictures of her attending an Old South Antebellum Ball surfaced online.
“By excusing historical racism, I defended it,” Harrison said of the episode at the time. “I invoked the term ‘woke police,’ which is unacceptable. I am ashamed over how uninformed I was. I was so wrong.”