Season 22 of The Bachelor officially has its leading man.
Arie Luyendyk Jr. is confirmed to be the star of 2018’s season of The Bachelor. He is the runner-up from Emily Maynard’s season of The Bachelorette in 2012.
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Good Morning America revealed the news on Thursday and The Bachelor host Chris Harrison confirmed the news on Twitter.
The Netherlands native and upcoming Bachelor tells People, “This is pretty surreal… It doesn’t really feel real yet, but I’m taking it step by step. The timing is just so perfect in my life. I could not be more excited for this journey I’m about to embark on.”
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“I’m not nervous,” he admits. “Now that I’ve had some time and distance away from it, it feels like the feeling I had before I went into it the first time. I think sometimes when you’re on The Bachelorette and you jump right into being the Bachelor, for me it would’ve been too soon. This feels more natural. I’m not concerned what people think. I’m just focused on the outcome. I want to find my person and will do whatever it takes!”
Often The Bachelor leading man is a contestant from the most recent season of The Bachelorette and vice versa. The show’s producers were reportedly scrambling to find a candidate and had to reach all the way back to 2012 to find him.
There was plenty of speculation over the past few weeks but many had their fingers crossed for the most recent Bachelorette runner-up Peter Kraus to snag the role. However, show creator Mick Fleiss tweeted Wednesday:
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Season 22 of The Bachelor will premiere Jan. 2018 yet people don’t seem to be clamouring for it.