As soon as Jenn Tran said goodbye to Grant Ellis during The Bachelorette season 21, he was announced very early as the next star of The Bachelor, proving that the producers learned from their disastrous handling of Jenn's casting, which was summed up by Sam McKinney's comment that he thought that Daisy Kent or Maria Georgas was going to be the Bachelorette when he signed up for the show. When Jenn was cast as the Bachelorette, there was speculation that she was the third choice for the lead because Daisy and Maria had both admitted that they'd turned down the role.
After Jenn finished filming The Bachelorette season 21, in an interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she expressed that she was disappointed to hear that it seemed as though she was the show's third choice. She explained that several women were contenders for the lead, and the producers didn't settle for her. Right before Sam was eliminated, he told Jenn that he thought that Daisy or Maria was going to star in the show, which rehashed this drama for viewers. However, it seems that The Bachelor producers learned from this mistake by announcing Grant early..
What Did Sam McKinney Say To Jenn Tran About Her Casting As The Bachelorette?
During one of Jenn and Sam's last conversations, Sam admitted to her that he didn't expect her to be the Bachelorette. When Jenn asked him what his first impression of her was, he answered, "It's a testament to this process that I almost didn't even come here." He added that, when he got out of the limousine, he thought, "This girl is not my type. I thought the Bachelorette was gonna be Daisy or Maria." Sam's fellow Bachelorette contestants, who were watching the conversation from afar, were shocked and disappointed by Sam's comments. Grant even said that it was "weird."
Sam's comments were problematic for so many reasons, but one of the worst things that they did was remind viewers that Jenn might not have been the producers' first choice for the lead of The Bachelorette season 21. Jenn's season was going so well that Daisy and Maria weren't even a thought, but Sam's comments suddenly brought that controversy back to the forefront. Although Sam was trying to say that he ended up liking Jenn in the end, it was heartbreaking to hear him mention that he didn't expect her to be the lead.
Grant Ellis Was Announced As The Bachelor Early For An Important Reason
Women Can Still Apply To Be Contestants On Grant's Bachelor Season
Now it seems that The Bachelor has learned from this mistake. In an X post, ABC executive Robert Mills explained why Grant's Bachelor announcement came so much earlier than other recent leads, who've been revealed during the Bachelorette "After the Final Rose" episode. He wrote, "We are announcing Grant so quickly so people can still apply to be on his season. If you think Grant is potentially the man of your dreams or you know someone who is apply ASAP!!! #TheBachelor."
This is a step in the right direction for The Bachelor. There will be no surprises for the contestants because they'll know exactly who the Bachelor is before they join the show. It will give women the opportunity to apply for the show just because of Grant, which will mean that they'll hopefully have signed up specifically for him. This would avoid having contestants such as Sam joining the cast with expectations for a different lead, or discovering too late that the lead isn't their type.
Jenn made history as the first-ever Asian American Bachelor franchise lead, a fact that would've been diminished if the producers hadn't originally intended for her to have the role. However, the speculation will always be there because Daisy and Maria said that they turned down the role. Grant's early announcement is proof that the Bachelor producers really did learn from this mistake, and perhaps they're showing more care for their leads and contestants. Grant will be the perfect Bachelor, so it's fantastic that his contestants will truly be there for him.
