SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT read if you have not yet watched the January 3 episode of “The Bachelor”
Buckle up Bachelor Nation because we have a new heartthrob among us, and he’s ready to find love in a hopeless place.
The name Clayton Echard might ring a bell because his prince charming behavior and down-to-earth personality caught the attention of realty-TV goers back on Michelle Young’s season.
The 28-year-old was eliminated in episode six, yet his journey to find love did not end there. The former NFL athlete was announced as the leading role in November of 2021. However, just before Young’s season aired – photos surfaced of him filming The Bachelor. The news came as a surprise to several members of Bachelor Nation, as they were expecting a fan-favorite from Katie Thurston season to step into the role.
According to investigative journalist Reality Steve, the franchise considered Greg Grippo and Andrew Spencer. Though, ABC spoke out about the matter and revealed that they recognized something special about Echard. “Clayton stood out right off the bat,” a reliable source told Us Weekly. “Producers ended up going with him because they believed he was the best fit for the role. They wanted to switch things up and go with someone new and someone who hasn’t been in the spotlight yet.”
This season is bringing the ❤️, the 🥵, the 😢 and the 😱. #TheBachelor pic.twitter.com/MUORGBvlMF
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) December 22, 2021
The Midwest boy from Missouri confirmed in the attention-grabbing trailer that he is ready to find his person and that he believes his wife is currently fighting for his love. In the season premiere, fans received a taste of what to expect from the medical sales rep and got to hear from his 31 potential matches.
