Okay, so maybe Luke Pell isn’t taking the whole Bachelor casting snub thing very well after all…
On Tuesday night, ABC stunned viewers by passing over Pell (the presumed favorite) in favor of Nick Viall as the next Bachelor.
Starting this spring with new episodes of the reality series, Viall will be given his fourth shot to find contrived love, following a pair of runner-up finishes on The Bachelorette and his current gig on Bachelor in Paradise.
The selection came as a shock to those who watch The Bachelor online and who follow this franchise closely.
At first, however, Pell seemed to take the rejection in stride.
Just consider the following meme and message:
“Thanks for all the love and support over the past few months, sometimes in life we are faced with unexpected changes,” Pell wrote on Instagram.
A tad bit extreme, considering this “unexpected challenge” and this reference to God having a plan in centered on anchoring The Bachelor?
Some might say.
But it at least proven that Pell was handling the surprising selection very well.
Now, however, Pell has come out and told Us Weekly that he was closer than folks could have possibly imagined to being named The Bachelor.
And then it was taken away from him.
“We were all satisfied, had agreed to the contracts and everything was moving forward,” Pell explains to Us Weekly.
“I was checked in to my flight to come to L.A. I got a call from producers Sunday night at about 10 p.m. They said ABC had decided to quote-unquote go in a different direction.
“I was supposed to fly out Monday morning at 9 a.m. I had my bags packed and everything.”
Nick Viall will be The Bachelor in the spring of 2017. But would you prefer to have seen Luke Pell picked for this position? View Poll »
Pell became a fan favorite this past season on The Bachelorette while he was competing to be JoJo Fletcher’s husband.
ABC executives have admitted that Viall was chosen at the last minute, but we didn’t realize it really was at the very last minute.
According to Pell, far more than just an airline ticket had been purchased.
“We had planned for intro filming and had planned to have my sister come on for a date and give advice as part of the show,” he says of how far into negotiations he got with the network.
“I met with the wardrobe guys. Everything was moving forward. Everyone on the production level was expecting it to be me, as well.”
Is Pell bitter over the way things went?
Yes, clearly. Sort of at least.
But he’s an alum of West Point. He’s come to “accept the decision,” he says, pointing to his military background in his response.
“From all my years in the military, I’ve learned that some things are out of my control,” he told Us Weekly, adding:
“I put it in the past, and I’m moving forward. It was a huge surprise, but the element of surprise and unexpected decisions is what the show thrives off of.”
That’s very true.
Would he do The Bachelor some time down the line if asked? Probably not.
For now, Pell is home in Nashville and says he’s focused on being “an entrepreneur and a songwriter.”
He’s also still focused on finding a wife. If you’re interested, here is what he’s looking for in a soulmate:
“I love somebody that is excited about life and has goals and dreams/
“I love independence. I love confidence. I love somebody that loves family and loves to have fun and who is completely comfortable in their own skin.”
