Bachelor In Paradise season 7 is one week away from its climactic conclusion, and the cast and media alike finally went a week without a single mention of the Brendan Morais, Pieper James, and Natasha Parker drama that has haunted this season. At this point on BIP season 7, the cast is settling into different couples and thinking deeper into the possibility of an engagement at the end of this process. Though the beach may be filled with sunsets and rainbows, a day never goes by without a little drama. This time, the heat was at the hands of contestant Ivan Hall, who broke production protocols and ended up being labeled as a "liar" by the rest of the cast.
As the cast prepared for eliminations, franchise bartender and master of ceremonies Wells Adams addressed the group to pull Ivan aside. Later in the conversation, Ivan admitted that despite being sequestered in his hotel room when the cast were sheltered from the tropical storm the night before, he left and found Alexa Caves from Peter Weber's season of The Bachelor. She was supposed to arrive the beach later that week. Ivan continued to reveal that he found her hotel room number on a producer's phone and proceeded to spend the night together on her balcony. He later told his co-stars that he blamed his headspace for that impulsive decision. He then left the show.
While new cast members are shaking things up, ABC has also made several announcements this week. For starters, just after Wells put his hat in the ring to replace Chris Harrison as the long-term host of the franchise, the network announced a different alum to take on the role. Secondly, ABC finally revealed the names, ages, and occupations of the men who'll be competing for Michelle Young's heart on the upcoming season of The Bachelorette.
Jesse Palmer To Host The Bachelor Season 26
Jesse Palmer will host The Bachelor season 26 following longtime host Chris Harrison's controversial exit from the series. The 42-year-old former football player holds the franchise near and dear to his heart given that he once led his own season of The Bachelor back in 2004. Although he gave his final rose to Jessica Bowlin, the couple broke up shortly after the show aired. Jesse is now engaged to model Emely Fardo and has amassed plenty of experience hosting shows such as The Proposal, Holiday Baking Championship, and The Ultimate Surfer. In a new statement, Jesse expressed his excitement to play a small role in another man's journey to falling in love. "For more than 20 years, The Bachelor has brought the world dozens of unforgettable love stories, including at one time, my own," Jesse said. "Falling in love is one of life's greatest gifts, and I am humbled by the opportunity to return to the show as host this season to offer the newest Bachelor advice gained from firsthand experience and I am grateful to play a small part in his journey." Following his statement, Jesse posted a snazzy picture of himself dressed to impress and standing in front of the iconic The Bachelor mansion.
Michelle Young's Season 18 Bachelors Are Revealed
ABC has finally revealed the 30 men who will be fighting to win Michelle Young's heart in the upcoming season of The Bachelorette. It seems like the 28-year-old elementary school teacher is serious about her role. In fact, she ensured that all of this season's contestants are over the age of 25 and ready for a lifetime commitment. Among the men are Alec (29), Clayton (28), Brandon J. (26), Brandon K (29), Bryan (31), Casey (36), Chris G. (28), Chris S. (28), Daniel (26), Edward (27), Garrett (33), Jack (30), Jamie (32), Joe (28), JoMarri (26), Leroy (27), LT (38), Martin (29), Mollique (36), Nayte (27), Olumide (27), Pardeep (30), Peter (26), PJ (30), Rick (32), Rodney (29), Romeo (32), Ryan (30), Spencer (25), and Will (28). The contestants' occupations range everywhere from a biotech CEO to an NFL player to a "pizzapreneur." ABC also shared a video of the men to showcase how beloved the new Bachelorette lead will be. "She's got the whole package," Chris G said. Rick gushed over Michelle's smile, while Casey adored that she is "sweet and down to earth." In the video, there were multiple clips of Michelle kissing the men. "I am looking for someone to take my breath away. Bring on the men," she said.
Michael Allio Reacts To Not Being Chosen As The Bachelor
Though Michael Allio was a fan favorite from Katie Thurston's season of The Bachelorette, the reality star was left puzzled by the producers choosing a fresh face to lead the next installment of the beloved series. While the reality star was answering fan questions on his Instagram story last Sunday, Michael hinted he wanted to be the lead of The Bachelor season 26, but when a fan asked why it didn't pan out, he react with, "Hm. I don't know." In a classy format, Michael followed up his response by reassuring fans that the person chosen to become The Bachelor "is going to be a really good one." Michael was never shy about discussing his difficult past, especially when it came to the passing of his late wife Laura Ritter-Allio, who died from cancer at the age of 33. Despite his loss, Michael felt ready to explore another path of love. Alas, he ultimately quit the show so he could reunite with his 4-year-old son.
Clare Crawley & Dale Moss Break Up Again
Clare Crawley and Dale Moss called off their engagement again nearly two months after their initial reunion. The couple has had a rollercoaster relationship since the moment Clare shut down production on her season of The Bachelorette two weeks into filming in order to leave as an engaged woman. Though the pair have called it quits before due to disagreements on kids and living locations, a source told Page Six that "this time, it's for good." The source added that their last fight "didn't end well." The news serves as a confirmation after break-up rumors started circulating around Bachelor Nation. Fans caught on to the possible split when they noticed Clare last posted her former boo two weeks ago when they attended the US Open in New York together. Meanwhile, Dale has been seen attending multiple public events either solo or with his male friends, sans Clare.
Wells Adams Wants A Big Wedding To Sarah Hyland
Wells Adams is still gunning for a big wedding ceremony with his bride-to-be Sarah Hyland despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Since Wells got down on one knee in 2019, the couple has tried to solidify their relationship twice, but they haven't yet been able to make their marriage official. Due to health concerns and the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic, wedding plans were put on hold, leaving the two eagerly awaiting the date when they could finally walk down the aisle. Now that there's a little glimmer of light at the end of this dark COVID-19 tunnel, Wells told ET that he and Sarah are standing their ground in throwing a large celebration and don't feel the need to rush into something that won't reflect the beautiful fairytale they've planned. "We're kind of so committed that we're like, 'Well, we got to have the big wedding.' And so, it's coming," he teased. Wells explained that he and Sarah want to have a big wedding partly because the couple has "a lot of rich friends" and will be expecting impressive gifts from each of them when the day comes.
Wells also made headlines this week when he told the media he hopes ABC producers will promote him to host of The Bachelor full-time following Chris Harrison's exit. It seems as though the beloved former contestant was definitely in the running as he returned to the franchise as the Bachelor In Paradise bartender and most recently got promoted to be this season's master of ceremonies. Unfortunately for him and many other fans within Bachelor Nation, Jesse Palmer was chosen to take the role just a few days later.
Sources: Jesse Palmer/Instagram, Bachelor Nation/YouTube, Michael Allio/Instagram, Page Six, ET