Spoiler alert! This story discusses the Season 27 premiere of The Bachelor that aired Monday, January 23. Consider yourself warned!
Zach Shallcross’ journey to find love has officially begun! The Bachelor, whose new lead admitted to being a little nervous, kicked off its 27th season by introducing the cast of thirty women, and as expected, there was some drama to be had. Night 1 for the new leading man included a party bus, a pig, a Mardi Gras parade, and more. Not all of the contestants made it to the first rose ceremony, however, and Shallcross talked CinemaBlend about that awkward elimination, as well as how he decided which of the dozens of women he wanted to give his First Impression Rose to.
Zach Shallcross Explains Why He Sent Madison Johnson Home
The Season 27 lead was faced with a pretty tough situation as he tried to get to know everyone, when he kept getting pulled away by Madison Johnson. She became emotional after a kiss between them lacked a spark, and in the end, Zach Shallcross chose to send her home before the rose ceremony began. The Bachelor spoke with CinemaBlend’s Nick Venable about what that moment was like for him and why he made the choice to send her home early, saying:
I think with Madison, you know, I wish her the best. It was just along the lines of, you know, you can't force something that's not there, and I don't want to take your time away when you know it's evident that it's not us, and that's most important because it's a sacrifice to be there and I don't want to waste her time with that, away from family, friends and all that, and never want to lie to her.
The former Bachelorette finalist said that when it became obvious to him that there was no future between him and Madison Johnson, he felt the right thing to do was send her home, so as to not lead her on. He said he wished her the best, after what was clearly a long night for everyone.
Why Greer Blitzer Received The First Impression Rose
His interactions with the other women in the house thankfully weren’t as awkward, and Zach Shallcross shared kisses with more than a handful of the women we will see him continue to date over the coming weeks. A big part of the first night is always the First Impression Rose, and the Bachelor bequeathed that honor to Greer Blitzer, a 24-year-old medical sales representative from Houston, Texas. Shallcross explained why he wanted to secure that spot for his fellow Texan, telling CinemaBlend:
I kind of just took Night 1, you know, moment by moment and just like soaking it all in, and when it was time really to give that First Impression Rose, I just was looking back at who made me feel the most comfortable in a chaotic night. One that when I looked back, it was like I wasn't in the constant circus, essentially. It was like where did I feel the most comfortable and it didn't feel like I'm Night 1 at the mansion filming a show? That was what really stood out to me, and I was like, wow I didn't recognize how comfortable I was until looking back on it, and then, you know, gave it to Greer.
It's a pretty high compliment that Greer Blitzer was apparently able to put Zach Shallcross at ease to the point where he could forget he just met thirty women in hopes that one of them would be his fiancée in just a matter of months. Will she continue to be the one he turns to amidst the chaos? We’ll have to wait to see!
The Bachelor airs at 8 p.m. ET Mondays on ABC and be streamed the next day with a Hulu subscription. Be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming soon.
