Jesse Palmer Reveals Why He Said 'Yes' to Hosting 'The Bachelorette' & 'The Bachelor' After Chris Harrison's Long Run

Jesse Palmer is revealing why he said “yes” to hosting The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, taking over for Chris Harrison.

The 45-year-old former NFL quarterback – and 2004′s Bachelor – took over the role from Chris after his 2021 exit from the franchise.

Keep reading to find out more…

In a new interview, Jesse revealed his reasons.

Jesse told TV Insider, “I thought it was going to be an incredible experience. I’ve always been one that likes to say yes to things, to embrace new situations and new environments and to try to make myself as comfortable in those situations as I can. The reality show genre — and dating shows, specifically — were very, very new at the time when I was the Bachelor, and so I really took a leap of faith, but I had a lot of trust in myself.”

Chris and ABC parted ways after the controversy he caused when he defended The Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell after photos surfaced of her participating in a plantation-themed fraternity formal. Rachael won Matt James‘ season, but they broke up shortly after. However, they rekindled their romance and have become a fan favorite Bachelor Nation couple.