‘Bachelor’ Host Jesse Palmer Talks ‘Golden Bachelor,’ Best Baby Advice and Integrating Football Into the Franchise

Tatiana Siegel Since January 2022, Jesse Palmer has fronted ABC’s lucrative “Bachelor” franchise as host of the flagship reality show as well as offshoots “The Bachelorette,” “Bachelor in Paradise” and the upcoming “The Golden Bachelor.” After taking the reins from Chris Harrison, who was ousted in 2021 after facing criticism for defending a contestant accused of racism, the former NFL quarterback and ESPN college football analyst has helped expand the show’s female-skewing audience to include more men. “I have this theory that the dirty little secret in Bachelor Nation was that men were always watching anyway,” says Palmer.

“They just never wanted to admit it.” In fact, football is often on the brain for the former University of Florida standout, who will be showing his Gator pride Friday for College Colors Day, the faux holiday spawned by licensing leader CLC. (Palmer is a spokesperson for CLC and is helping launch the company’s “Fan Out Loud” campaign, a gig he squeezed in between last month’s “Bachelorette” finale and this month’s “Golden Bachelor” debut on Sept.

28.) Plugging sportswear might seem like a strange side hustle, but Palmer’s resume has always been pretty eclectic. Past jobs have included everything from hosting the trashy but fun syndicated “DailyMailTV” to donning an apron for “Holiday Baking Championship” on Food Network.

At ABC, he hosted the little-watched competition show “The Ultimate Surfer.” But who could argue with his career strategy? All these disparate posts led to his current perch atop the network’s reality crown jewel, the “Bachelor” franchise. The 44-year-old Canadian also has baby on the brain now that his wife, model Emely Fardo, is pregnant with their first child.