ABC made history this week. Twice.
First, the network surprised viewers by revealing the identity of next season’s The Bachelor lead far earlier than usual.
Second, it did so by revealing him to be Grant Ellis, only the second African-American to ever hold this title.
Grant Ellis get a rose here on The Bachelorette. (ABC)
“We are announcing Grant so quickly so people can still apply to be on his season,” producer Robert Mills Tweeted after the announcement went viral. “If you think Grant is potentially the man of your dreams or you know someone who is apply ASAP!!!”
Fair enough.
If women are gonna vie for Ellis’ heart, however, after the 30-year old day trader was eliminated by Jenn Tran on The Bachelorette… they need to know what he’s seeking in a potential spouse, right?
Take it away, Grant Ellis!
Grant Ellis poses here for an ABC promotional photo. (Disney/Ricky Middlesworth)
“I’m looking for a love that’s kind and understanding. Some qualities I’m looking for in a potential partner is somebody who’s adventurous, somebody who’s affectionate and somebody who’s loving,” Ellis said on a Good Morning America appearance.
“I can’t wait for this incredible journey to get kicked off; it’s going to be so fun and I hope you guys tune in. Peace!”
A press release from ABC Entertainment said Ellis “is eager to embark on a journey filled with romance, adventure, and genuine connections.”
It added that “he hopes to find a partner who shares his values of loyalty, humor and a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.”
Jenn Tran and Grant Ellis on The Bachelorette season Season 21. (John Fleenor/Disney)
On The Bachelorette, Ellis admitted that he was falling in love with Tran.
He was sent packing a week before the hometown-date episode.
“I poured everything out and it wasn’t good enough,” he told the cameras. “It just sucks knowing that you feel some way about somebody, and they don’t feel the same about you.”
It does, absolutely.
But Ellis will be in control of his own romantic journey when The Bachelor premieres in early 2025.
Grant Ellis gets pinned with a rose by Jenn Tran. (ABC)
During an interview with Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt on the Bachelor Happy Hour Podcast in July, Ellis said that his favorite thing about Tran was “her ability to make a situation easy and how she lights up the room and how witty she is.”
Here are a few facts about Grant Ellis:
He’s a New Jersey native who now lives in Houston.
He played basketball at Iona College, Southern University and Albertus Magnus College and then went on to play professionally in Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Ellis works as a day trader. While he’s “passionate” about his new career, his ABC Bachelor biography says “he loves watching the Lakers, going bowling, and singing his heart out at karaoke” when he “isn’t hustling at his job.”
Grant Ellis to Bachelor Nation: Hi! Here Is What I’m Seeking in a Wife… was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.