the most popular bachelors in the franchise's history.
Broadly, speaking Palmer is a perfect replacement for Harrison. The former athlete has extensive broadcasting and hosting experience, he has personally been a part of the show, he's articulate and charming, and has a decade-long history of working with Disney and its networks, which makes him a shoo-in as a host for future instalments. Although Palmer is a beloved member of the Bachelor-verse, there are many things about him fans don't know yet:
Jesse Palmer Married Emely Fardo In June 2020
Jesse Palmer is one of the most popular leading men of The Bachelor franchise, and yet he has managed to keep certain details about his personal life under wraps. People Magazine reported recently that Palmer married model girlfriend Emely Fardo in June last year at a friend's place in Connecticut. Interestingly, Palmer had shared an image from his wedding day on Instagram in December, but since Emely was wearing a simple white dress, his fans had no idea it was from their wedding.
He Has Accumulated Quite A Repertoire As A Host
Palmer has a decade-long broadcasting experience, he has been a sports commentator since 2004 and has also worked as an NFL analyst and a sports announcer. He hosted the first two seasons of the food reality series Recipe to Riches on Food Network Canada.
Palmer ed Good Morning America as a special contributor and he has also hosted Spring Baking Championship and Holiday Baking Championship on Food Network. He has also hosted three seasons of DailyMailTV. This extensive hosting experience across genres has made him a seasoned and he could be an efficient replacement for Chris Harrison.
His Season Of The Bachelor Did Not End With A Proposal
Palmer did not propose to Jessica Bowlin at the end of their season of the show; instead of an engagement ring, Palmer gave Jessica a plane ticket to New York where he lived at the time. However, their relationship ended just a month after the finale and could very well be one of the most short-lived relationships on The Bachelor. But the two ended things on a friendly note as Palmer revealed the two split because they realized their lives were taking them in different directions. While Palmer pursued his career as a broadcaster, Bowlin moved on to get a law degree. According to US Weekly, she is married with two kids and leads a fairly private life.
He Mixed Up Names In His First Rose Ceremony
Though this mix-up made news back in 2004 when the season aired, it's possible that many new viewers don't know that Palmer fumbled during his rose ceremony. During the two-hour season premiere of his season, Palmer gave a rose to a contestant named Katie when he originally wanted to hand it to someone named Karen.
It was an honest flub and as soon as Palmer realized his mistake, he pulled then-host Chris Harrison aside and explained the situation. After coming clean to the contestants, Palmer gave Karen his rose but also offered Katie the choice to stay which she happily accepted.
Palmer Was A Backup Quarterback For New York Giants During The Bachelor
Palmer's fans have been keeping tabs on his career for a decade, even though he was one of the earliest bachelors in the show's history. During his time as the fifth Bachelor in 2004, Palmer was coming off a professional NFL career with the New York Giants. After four years, he was cut by the Giants in 2005. Palmer signed in to Montreal Alouettes' developmental roster in late 2006 and by 2007 he had retired from the NFL to pursue a broadcasting career.
His Pet Has An Instagram
Palmer and his wife have a pet one-year-old Aussie doodle named LouLou who has a whole Instagram dedicated to her and her life, obviously run by the Palmers. The page was created in October last year and already has more than 2.4K followers.
It chronicles LouLou's adventure and jet-setting lifestyle. Though LouLou spends more time in New York where the Palmers reside, they often take her on vacations, be it hiking in Knoxville or playdates in Utah.
He Postponed His Wedding Due To The Coronavirus
Palmer had originally planned to marry Fardo in 2020 in the South of but postponed the ceremony to the summer of 2021 because of the pandemic. According to Page Six, they were planning an elaborate ceremony for the summer of 2021 but cancelled that plan as well as it was difficult for Fardo's Brazillian family to travel back then. The couple hopes to have a ceremony sometime in 2022. "We were only able to invite a small group of close friends that live in the greater NYC area, and that was in quarantine at the time. We look forward to celebrating our love with our parents and immediate families all together soon!” the couple revealed.
His Dad Was Also An Athlete And Coach
Palmer's father Bill Palmer was a former linebacker with the Canadian Football League team Ottawa Rough Riders and coached Jesse until he went away to university in Florida. This The Globe and Mail report from 2001 takes a look into the father-son relationship. "I said to my Dad, who's in Parry Sound at his cottage, 'Isn't this exciting? Jesse is going to realize his dream on Saturday. And he said, 'And your dream, too.' I'd never thought of it that way. I'm just pleased for him that he's been able to achieve his goals," Bill Palmer had told the publication. The father and son spend quite a bit of time together as Jesse often shares snaps of his family time on Instagram.
His Mother Was A Model And Founded A Modelling Agency
Palmer's mother Susan was a known model in Ottawa and found mainstream success. She also went on to launch her own talent management agency in Ottawa named Barrett Palmer Models which was at one point, one of the most respected boutique agencies in Canada.
She is also one of the former owners of the original ITM International Top Models, which eventually became the MIM Model International Management, a prominent talent management company that currently manages some of the most prominent models and actors in Canada.
He Has A Long-Standing Relationship With Disney
Palmer's appointment as the next host of The Bachelor isn't exactly a shock considering his history with Disney; he has worked consistently with Disney-owned networks. He has hosted ABC’s Disney Parks’ holiday specials and ABC’s presentation of the NFL Draft. For ABC he has done segments on Good Morning America and has contributed to ABC News.
He is currently hosting ABC’s The Ultimate Surfer, and he previously hosted the network’s reality series The Proposal. Of course, he has worked as a commentator for another Disney-owned network ESPN since 2007. In fact, according to Variety, he has signed an extension to continue his studio role with the network during the 2021-2022 college football season, and thus may just direct a fraction of the college football audience towards The Bachelor.