Alright Bachelor Nation, we have a new Bachelor! This morning, ABC announced that real estate broker, Matt James will star in the upcoming season of The Bachelor.
What’s happening:
- ABC has announced that 28-year-old Matt James has been selected as the star for season 25 of The Bachelor.
- James shared the news of his casting this morning on Good Morning America. Notably, he will be the first Black Bachelor in the franchise's 18 year history.
- James was in the running as one of the prospective suitors for the upcoming season of The Bachelorette and ABC says, “thousands of fans swooned over the would-be cast member.”
- When filming of The Bachelorette was put on hold, ABC had the chance to get to know James better and realized that he would be perfect for The Bachelor.
- James’ casting is being seen as a step forward for ABC who has been criticized in the past for a lack of diversity when it comes to the leads in the franchise.
- With 40 seasons of programming in total, only two seasons have featured non-white leads on The Bachelor; Venezuelan soccer player, Juan Pablo Galavis and commercial airline pilot Peter Weber who is half Cuban.
- As for The Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay is the first and only woman of color given the lead on the series.
- In the network’s official press release they say of James “He is the total package. He has strong family values, a great career, and over the past few months, he has used his growing platform for good.”
- Season 25 of The Bachelor is scheduled to premiere in 2021.
Meet Matt James:
- While much of Bachelor Nation has fallen in love with him already, many will meet the 28-year-old real estate broker, entrepreneur and community organization founder on his journey to find love for the first time.
- The North Carolina native went to Wake Forest University, where he majored in economics and played wide receiver for the football team. He went on to play professional football, before moving to New York City, where he now resides.
- His love of food and passion for giving back led to his creation of an organization that is designed to find creative ways to engage kids from underserved communities in New York City, encouraging physical and mental wellness, while also giving them opportunities for new experiences throughout the city.
What they’re saying:
- Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment: “Matt has been on our radar since February, when producers first approached him to join Bachelor Nation, as part of Clare’s season. When filming couldn’t move forward as planned, we were given the benefit of time to get to know Matt and all agreed he would make a perfect Bachelor. We know we have a responsibility to make sure the love stories we’re seeing onscreen are representative of the world we live in, and we are proudly in service to our audience. This is just the beginning, and we will continue to take action with regard to diversity issues on this franchise. We feel so privileged to have Matt as our first Black Bachelor and we cannot wait to embark on this journey with him.”