Filming for JoJo Fletcher’s season of the Bachelorette got underway this week, just days after millions of Bachelor fans saw Ben Higgins send her home at the final rose ceremony. On Wednesday night, the 25-year-old Texas-based real estate developer may have been thinking “Ben who?” when she met the 25 hunky guys at the Bachelor mansion.
Who are JoJo’s guys; which former Bachelor was invited to join the show; and what happened during her first night of filming? Here’s the scoop on who arrived at the mansion on night one and who might be showing up later this season.
On night one (Wednesday), JoJo already had her first kiss and eliminated five guys. After a one day break, she was back at it on Friday when she had her first one-on-one date. According to an E! News insider she is “over the moon” happy and hopes to find love (again) and get engaged to one of the guys cast for Season 12.
The show’s creator, Mike Fleiss, has been tweeting about the new season since the guys stepped out of their limos on Wednesday night. He made it clear that JoJo did love Ben, but now she wants a love story like Ben has with Lauren .
JoJo is taking this very seriously. She really did love @benhiggi and wants what Lauren has…
— Mike Fleiss (@fleissmeister) March 18, 2016
But first, she’s going to have to weed through the “wild guys” and the ones Fleiss says are a bit clingy.
Wild group of dude’s. Some great ones for sure… Some seem to be a little too into JoJo. #clinger
— Mike Fleiss (@fleissmeister) March 16, 2016
ABC has not released an official cast list, but blogger Reality Steve has already figured out who at least 13 out of the 25 men are. In addition to the guys Steve has released (below), fans were buzzing about Nick Viall joining the show, but that’s not happening.
Nick, who was the runner-up on Andi Dorfman and Kaitlyn Bristowe’s seasons, tweeted that he is still searching for love, but it won’t be back for a third try on the Bachelorette .
Although Nick won’t be showing up to date JoJo, a former Bachelor may be arriving on an upcoming episode if he accepts Mike Fleiss’ offer. Season 18 Bachelor Juan Pablo tweeted that he might have to “sign up” for the show when JoJo was announced as the Bachelorette on Wednesday night. Fleiss then invited him to come on the show, tweeting “We would love to have you @JuanPaGalavis .”
I have READ so MANY good things about JoJo in the past WEEKS that if she is the NEXT bachelorette, I MIGHT have to sign up AGAIN…
— Juan Pablo Galavis™ (@JuanPaGalavis) March 15, 2016
Will Juan Pablo pull a Nick Viall and join the show after a few episodes have been taped? Reality Steve states that Galavais isn’t going on the show, but some fans are urging him to take Fleiss’ offer and pursue JoJo — time will tell if that happens.
@JuanPaGalavis at least if you told her you loved her, we would all know you truly meant it. @JoelleFletcher
— Erin Abney (@AbneyErin) March 15, 2016
YEAP… https://t.co/PdRkPhAm0W
— Juan Pablo Galavis™ (@JuanPaGalavis) March 15, 2016
#TheBachelorette JoJo Fletcher is taking her role “very seriously.” Find out more: https://t.co/7rUhfigfn8 pic.twitter.com/CuZMn90pO9
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) March 21, 2016
So far, the names of five of JoJo’s suitors have been confirmed by both Us Weekly and Reality Steve — one of them is a guy from Texas is named Chad.
Of course, fans immediately thought ABC cast JoJo’s ex, Chad Rookstool, but it’s a different Chad altogether. Steve claims Jojo was friends with him on Facebook before he left Texas to become a contestant on the Bachelorette Season 12.
Us Weeklyrecently confirmed that Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers‘ brother, Jordan, is one of the 25 guys who arrived at the mansion on Wednesday night. Reality Steve states that he know the identities of 13 guys, but so far has only released five, including Jordan Rodgers.
In addition to Rodgers, Steve is confident that the following four guys (photos above) were cast for the show — Texas Realtor Chad Thedford; Vancouver-based sales rep John Hamilton; home building company operations manager Sal DeJulio, and restaurant marketing manager Paul Tappon.
In the coming weeks, expect to find out more about Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher’s guys, and if Juan Pablo does show up, chances are someone will leak the news online.
The Bachelorette Season 12 premieres May 23 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC
[Image via JoJo Fletcher Instagram]