“You never say never,” says Rob Mills, the top unscripted executive at Walt Disney Television.
Before Jesse Palmer took over The Bachelor hosting gig and replaced Chris Harrison, much of Bachelor Nation (including me) was rooting for fan-favorite alum and Bachelor in Paradise resident bartender, Wells Adams. But alas, it was not to be.
When asked in a recent Variety interview if Wells might host Bachelor in Paradise or another Bachelor franchise show in the future, Rob continues, “If we can figure out other roles for Wells, absolutely . . . We love Wells. So whether it’s within The Bachelor or just in the broader ABC/Disney/Hulu family, we are Wells’ number one fan.” [I think his fiancé Sarah Hyland (Haley Dunphy on ABC’s Modern Family) would have something to say about being Wells’ number one fan.]
RELATED: Wells Adams Says Chris Harrison Has “Something Up His Sleeve” Following His Exit From The Bachelor
Bachelor in Paradise has been renewed for Season 8, but no announcement has yet been made regarding its host. The summer series was always hosted by Chris Harrison since its premiere in 2014, but after his widely-documented departure in 2021, Season 7 was hosted by a rotating slew of “celebrity” guest hosts like Lil’ Jon, David Spade, and Lance Bass. The rotating hosts were somewhat controversial within Bachelor Nation, as expressed in multiple fan sites online. Many loyalists would have rather had Wells as a host, rather than the arguably D-list “celebrities” that were brought in. To some it felt like a bad fit.
Fast forward to Jesse Palmer being the new host of The Bachelor, replacing Chris Harrison. Jesse, an ESPN commentator who was The Bachelor way back in Season 5 (2004), hosted Clayton Echard’s season. He also signed a deal to return for Season 19 of The Bachelorette, which premiers in July and will star two female leads with Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia.
RELATED: Wells Adams Is Bummed He Wasn’t Asked To Host The Bachelor After Chris Harrison’s Exit
“We are still in the middle of planning the creative on Bachelor in Paradise,” Mills says. “But I would be very surprised if Jesse wasn’t a part of it.” Disappointing news to fans who were hoping to see Wells hosting BIP.
TELL US – WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE AS THE HOST ON BIP: WELLS, JESSE PALMER OR SOMEONE ELSE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WELLS GET HIS OWN SHOW?
[Photo Credit: Craig Sjodin via Getty Images]
