Kaitlyn Bristowe was a love interest for Nick Viall during her season of The Bachelorette in 2015, but it just wasn’t meant to be. In the end, Nick lost out to Shawn Booth, whom Kaitlyn is still engaged to.
In a surprise twist, the producers of The Bachelor franchise revealed that Nick, not Luke Pell, is the clear 2017 choice for next season’s Bachelor lead. It’s Nick’s turn to find love after losing out three times on the franchise over the last three years. The first time around, it was Andi Dorfman’s season of The Bachelorette, where he lost to his nemesis, Josh Murray.
After losing to Murray, who eventually ended his engagement to Dorfman, he was also rejected during Kaitlyn’ season. Now he’s on Bachelor in Paradise dating Jen Saviano , but he lost first to Josh Murray while competing for Amanda Stanton’s heart.
In his case, it seems that nice guys finish last, but thanks to ABC, he may finally find the love of his life when he appears as The Bachelor 2017 lead.
So, how does Kaitlyn Bristowe feel about Nick becoming the next lead for season 21? The 31-year-old is happy for him and hopes he finds love in his journey next season.
Exclusive: What does former #TheBachelorette Kaitlyn think of ex Nick becoming #TheBachelor ? https://t.co/fVHP2E8u2i pic.twitter.com/wJXQYtTbUD
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) August 31, 2016
“I’m happy for him!” Bristowe tells Us Weekly . “Everyone deserves to find someone. I hope it works out.”
Nick was swept away by Kaitlyn’s appearance on Chris Soules’ season of The Bachelor, and he appeared on the show after a few episodes along with her other suitors.
Evidently, Nick and Jen are no longer together , which was revealed during Tuesday’s After Paradise that was co-hosted by Sean Lowe and Michelle Collins.
He told Lowe and Collins that he’s certainly had plenty of “practice” at looking for love with Kaitlyn Bristowe, Andi Dorfman, and the other women on Bachelor in Paradise . He vows that he’s “definitely ready” to find the right woman this time around. The Bachelor 2017 lead added that he’s “very excited” and is “hoping this time around things will end up more positive.”
What kind of a woman is Nick Viall looking for? He shared that he wants someone who’s “confident and knows their own self-worth.” He added that he’d like a woman “who makes me a better person and challenges me and isn’t afraid to give as much as I like to.”
So, why did ABC choose Nick over Luke Pell, one of the semi-finalists from JoJo Fletcher’s season of The Bachelorette ? Host Chris Harrison told People magazine that there was a list of good reasons why Nick Viall got The Bachelor 2017 gig. Among one of the numerous reasons is that he’s lost three times on the franchise. The host continued that he’s “become that perennial, second place guy who wants to find love and is as sincere, if not more sincere, than anybody about finding it.”
Chris Harrison reveals why Nick Viall was picked as the next #Bachelor over Luke Pell https://t.co/PtyxA8ykh4 pic.twitter.com/DxpOxlFMs3
— People Magazine (@people) August 31, 2016
Harrison went on to say that Nick wasn’t campaigning to be the lead. He didn’t even ask for a shot at becoming The Bachelor . His appeal was stronger than ever during this season of Bachelor in Paradise , so producers took the leap and were confident that Viall was the best choice. His losing to Josh Murray twice may have also spawned more support for the veteran contestant. Harrison wanted to emphasize that there aren’t any set rules when it comes to who can be a lead.
“The good thing is, with our casting, there’s no rules,” Harrison noted. “There’s no rules that say we can’t use somebody that’s been on the show or hasn’t been on the show or whatever.”
Typically, the show reaches back to the most recent finalist on The Bachelorette to cast as the lead of The Bachelor . The network threw a curve ball at fans by selecting a three-time franchise contestant who’s last Bachelorette appearance was in 2015. He may have been cast on this year’s Bachelor in Paradise to condition its viewing audience to it’s new potential Bachelor lead.
Will Nick Viall’s two former Bachelorette leads, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Andi Dorfman, watch him on The Bachelor 2017?
[Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision for Just Jared/AP Images]