After taking 2024 off, Jesse Palmer is eager to get back on the Bachelor in Paradise beach in 2025 — but will he be joined by cast members from The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette?
“I absolutely hope so and I believe in manifestation. I think it would be so great. I mean, the cast from Gerry [Turner]’s season, the cast from Joan’s season, it’s incredible,” the host, 45, told Us Weekly in an exclusive interview about Joan Vassos’ season of The Golden Bachelorette, which is currently airing. “And as long as it’s not Atlantic City or Naples, Florida — not a retirement place — it has to be a tropical beach. And personally, I think you should have air conditioning.” (BiP viewers know the conditions in Mexico, including crabs and humidity, aren’t super ideal.)
As Bachelor Nation makes potential love connections between the two senior casts via social media, Jesse sees TV magic between Susan Noles and Jack Lencioni.
“I think you need to have an open kitchen and let Jack and Susan go in there — it would be amazing. You would need a kitchen cam at all times just to see what they’re cooking up,” he added.
So far, ABC has announced plans for the beach spinoff, which typically features cast members from the traditional Bachelor and Bachelorette franchises, to return but hasn’t offered any details.
“I do know some of the ideas that are being pitched around. I know there’s a lot of different stuff sort of in the Bachelor verse that they’re putting into this,” Jesse told Us. “It sounds like a lot of the old, and it sounds like there are some new ideas being floated in as well. I’m really excited. I really missed going to the beach this past year. Wells [Adams] and I were hanging out a little while ago and we were both talking about how stoked we were to go back. So I can’t wait for that time to come. I just hope maybe there’s gonna be some sort of Golden iteration as well.”
Fans who have been keeping up with the franchise despite the absence of BiP this past summer may have noticed an apparent increase in Jesse’s role on the show. One example was the former Bachelor going golfing with season 21 Bachelorette Jenn Tran’s finalists.
“It’s been really fun to be a part of all that,” Jesse told Us, noting that he wants to make sure he’s adding “value in some way, shape or form” with any additional on-camera appearances. “I don’t ever wanna force myself into a scene or a situation because this is not about me at all. I’m a facilitator of this whole thing. I think there have been times over the years where it’s felt organic. There have been times where I think there was an idea to do something and there were other times where it was spontaneous in the moment, just asking, ‘Hey, can I go in? Can I give this guy a hug? Or can I talk to her? She looks like she just needs to talk to somebody.’ I hope I get to keep doing it.”
Joan’s season enters week 3 on Wednesday, October 2, after the 61-year-old lead went on her first one-on-one date with insurance executive Chock Capple during the September 25 episode.
“There’s a chemistry there and a connection. Chock was someone right away, when I was talking to him off camera, [I discovered] he’s a man’s man and he is an alpha — that’s just kind of how I put it,” Jesse told Us. “He’s a leader of men, someone who’s wildly successful professionally and also has a really touching and unique personal story to him as well, which we’ve scratched the surface on. By the way, I was shocked that that was the first ever date at Disneyland in Bachelor history. So it was a very special moment that they both got to share, but they both made the most of it as well.”
During the date, Chock, 60, opened up about his past divorce and the death of his fiancée. Chock and Joan bonded over how difficult it was to watch their partners get sick and have to say goodbye in the hospital.
“I think one thing about Joan and Chock is they’re very willing to talk about heartbreak or uncomfortable things together very, very early on and be open and honest with each other about what they’re hoping for,” Jesse said when Us pointed out that it didn’t feel like the first date between the pair. “And I think that is a very good launch point. It’s a good launching pad for the two of them. Because I agree with you. Watching them, I thought, ‘That does not seem like there’s the butterfly nerves of a first date and you’re just really touching on treetop stuff and scratching the surface.’ They really kind of got into it. But I think on these shows that’s so critical and key, the people that can do that have a much better chance. And sometimes it’s just chemistry that allows them to go there with each other. Joan and Chock definitely have that.”
Outside of the Bachelor mansion, Jesse recently launched his 13-piece elevated sports apparel, J. Palmer clothing, which is available at Fanatics, and has returned to his gig as a college football analyst for ESPN and the SEC Network. While he’s currently MIA from Halloween-themed episodes of Holiday Baking Championship, he assured Us he’ll be back for the holiday season.
“It’s football, it’s Bachelor, it’s Golden Bachelor, it’s holidays, it’s J. Palmer,” he concluded before joking, “My wife hates me right now.”
The Golden Bachelorette airs on ABC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
