Did Jesse Palmer ever appear as a contestant on The Bachelor? Details Explored

Jesse Palmer returns as the host of The Bachelor season 28, which premiered on Monday, January 22, on ABC. The smash-hit dating reality TV show features a group of 32 women trying to win the heart of Joey Graziadei, the runner-up of The Bachelorette season 20. However, as Jesse Palmer marked his return as a host, many viewers expressed curiosity about his participation in the show.

In the early 2000s, Jesse made a name for himself on the NFL circuit, playing five seasons for the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. In a surprising turn of events, he made history in 2004 by becoming the first professional athlete to nab the lead on The Bachelor season 5. Born in Toronto, the 45-year-old is no stranger to hosting, as he has hosted television shows including The Ultimate Surfer and The Proposal.

Besides hosting shows, the former football quarterback has served as a television broadcaster and football commentator.

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Jesse Palmer’s stint on The Bachelor

Jesse Palmer wasn’t only the first professional athlete but also the first non-American celebrity to appear on The Bachelor. One of Jesse’s major highlights includes forgetting the names of the contestants during the first rose ceremony. He chose Jessica Bowlin at the end of the season, but it did not end in a proposal for the former lovers.

Though they left the show as a couple, they split just a month after the finale aired on TV, thereby their courtship only lasting for four months. He returned to the franchise in 2021 on season 26, but instead of looking for love, he guided contestants on their romantic journey to win over Clayton Echard.

He refilled the same position on The Bachelorette season 19, Bachelor in Paradise season 8. Jesse Parmer currently serves as the host of the smash-hit dating series franchises, which also include the first season of The Golden Bachelor that premiered in the fall of 2023.

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Who is Jesse Palmer married to?

Jesse Palmer tied the knot with Brazilian photographer and model Emely Fardo, whom he met in a boxing class in 2017. The couple married in Connecticut in 2020, but they hosted a second grand wedding at Château De La Gaude, a luxury hotel, in 2022 after pandemic restrictions eased.

While giving fans an intimate look at their dreamy wedding, Jesse Palmer wrote on Instagram:

“So, we did a thing. After cancelling our wedding twice due to COVID-19 and then eloping in Connecticut, Emely and I finally tied the knot (again) in front of our immediate families in Provence, France. Everything was PERFECT.”

Jesse revealed that the couple waited to host their grand wedding for almost three years:

“This was the day we had been envisioning for the past 3 years. Such a magical day full of love, tears (I maybe cried…a lot) and gratitude. It took longer to get here than expected, but we made it.”

In August 2023, the host officially announced the duo was expecting a baby girl, due in January 2024. In a heartfelt note, Jesse wrote:

“We’ve been keeping a secret. Our family is growing and our hearts are so full! This is a dream come true for us and we’re so thrilled to be welcoming our baby girl in January 2024.”

On January 11, 2024, Jesse Palmer confirmed the birth of his first daughter, Ella, on Instagram. He said:

“Our worlds have been forever changed. She’s finally here. ELLA REINE PALMER. Our hearts are overflowing with love and gratitude.”

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The Bachelor season 28 airs new episodes weekly every Monday at 8 pm ET on ABC.