Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for the August 12 episode of The Bachelorette. Episodes are available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription.
Grant Ellis took it pretty rough when The Bachelorette’s Jenn Tran sent him home during the last rose ceremony before Hometowns. However, the heartache didn’t last too long — at least for viewers — because immediately following the August 12 episode, the day trader from Houston, Texas, was announced to be the lead of The Bachelor Season 29. Grant will be the second Black man to serve as the lead of the franchise after Matt James in 2020, and while that had much of Bachelor Nation excited, some fans were disappointed by the way the announcement was made.
ABC rarely announces its next leads in the middle of a season, often opting to wait until the “After the Final Rose” special or even Good Morning America after the season finale. Grant Ellis became something of a fan favorite on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette, largely staying out of the drama that swirled around Devin Strader and Sam McKinney. Many seemed to feel a little let down that the surprise announcement was made, with one fan tweeting:
I better see a mid-morning ABC segment for Grant tomorrow… give my guy all the pomp and circumstance!
Other responses to Grant Ellis big news included:
- really? no big reveal / tease / surprise on the finale? this is probably the earliest announcement ever… – ODedOnRealityTV
- A Twitter announcement tho?? – thatdidntlast
- Grant deserved a better Bachelor announcement! – BachelorJedi
- why is Grant’s bachelor announcement so… awkward – MoodieForBach
- Why not give Grant a proper Good Morning America / After the Final Rose announcement … – hkchura
However, others were just happy that we can expect more Grant Ellis on our screens in 2025. One enthusiastic member of Bachelor Nation exclaimed:
GRANT GOT THAT BACHELOR EDIT LETS GO BLACK PEOPPLEEEEE
Others also took to social media to celebrate the big news. It may have been a surprise, but it seems to have been a pleasant one, with fans writing:
- OMG yay i like grant!!! can’t wait to see more of him! i wish he got more screentime – shannon4g
- i can’t believe i told my brother “we need Grant as the bachelor” and it HAPPENS. WHAT?! – VickyDiTullio
The early announcement was addressed by Rob Mills, Disney’s executive vice president of Unscripted and Alternative Entertainment, who hit social media to respond to fans’ question of why an announcement was made before the end of Jenn Tran’s season. He posted:
We are announcing Grant so quickly so people can still apply to be on his season. If you think Grant is potentially the man of your dreams or you know someone who is apply ASAP!!!
The Bachelor producers Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner addressed the franchise's historical lack of racial diversity earlier this summer, calling it "inexcusable" that it took 15 years to cast a Black lead. That honor went to Rachel Lindsay, who was named The Bachelorette in 2017. It took even longer for a Black man to lead The Bachelor, with Matt James getting the nod three years later. Jenn Tran herself was a history-making choice for the franchise, as she is the first Asian lead on either series.
New episodes of The Bachelorette air at 8 p.m. ET Mondays on ABC, and as we wait for Grant Ellis to start his journey next January, be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what's coming in the meantime.
