The Bachelor names ex-Bachelorette contestant as star of season 29
Grant Ellis will be the second-ever Black star of ‘The Bachelor’
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Kelly Rissman
US News Reporter
The Bachelor has named Grant Ellis as its season 29 lead just moments after he was sent home on The Bachelorette.
Ellis, 30, was among 25 eager men vying for Jenn Tran’s heart on season 21 of the dating series spin-off before his journey came to an end in the sixth episode.
Following his elimination, the Houston, Texas, native expressed his shock at the outcome, telling the cameras: “I don’t know what else to say. I did not think that was gonna happen tonight.
“I feel empty right now,” he said after Jenn walked him out of the mansion. “I don’t know. Jenn’s a great woman, and I expressed my love for her.”
Tearing up, he continued: “Like I poured everything out, and it wasn’t good enough. It just sucks knowing that you feel some way about somebody and they don’t feel the same way about you.
“I want a family. I want to be happy. I want a wife. I want to be in love. I want that, you know. I want to give that to somebody, and I want them to give that to me in return.”
Spencer and Sam M were also sent home in the sixth episode, leaving only four men – Devin, Jonathon, Marcus and Jeremy – in the competition.
Ellis makes history as The Bachelor’s second Black star. Matt James became the show’s first Black lead in 2021. His season, however, became embroiled in racial controversy when photographs surfaced of series frontrunner Rachel Kirkconnell attending a plantation-themed party while at Georgia College & State University in 2018.
In a recent interview with The Los Angeles Times, The Bachelor producers took responsibility for not protecting James better: “Here was this great Black man and we should have been celebrating his love story.
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“Instead, what we saw was a man burdened and overwhelmed by issues of racism,” executive producer Bennett Graebner said. “It was really sad for me personally.”
Who is Grant Ellis?
According to his official Bachelor bio, Ellis is “a self-proclaimed mama’s boy.”
“The former pro basketball player is passionate about his career as a day trader, but when he’s not immersed in the fast-paced world of finance, you can find him cheering on the Lakers, hitting strikes at the bowling alley, or belting out tunes at karaoke nights,” it adds.
“As the Bachelor, Ellis is eager to embark on a journey filled with romance, adventure, and genuine connections. He hopes to find a partner who shares his values of loyalty, humor and a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.”
Born on December 15, the Sagittarius is also an avid salsa dancer, has plans to travel to every country in his lifetime and wishes he could live in the year 3000 to see what technology is like.
When does ‘The Bachelor’ season 29 premiere?
The new season of The Bachelor isn’t expected to air until sometime in 2025. Meanwhile, the franchise’s newest spin-off, The Golden Bachelorette, will debut its inaugural season on September 18, with former Golden Bachelor star Joan Vassos handing out the roses.
The Bachelorette season 21 continues on Mondays on ABC at 8pm ET.
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