The identity of the new Bachelor has been revealed and his name is Arie Luyendyk Jr.
He’s the leading man that nobody expected … and, from the way that the Bachelor Nation has responded, also the leading man that nobody asked for or wanted.
Well now there’s a reason aside from disappointment for the Bachelor Nation to object … and it’s because Arie Luyendyk Jr. might not be looking for love on The Bachelor at all.
Arie Luyendyk Jr. is a wildly controversial choice, but he’s not exactly a stranger to the Bachelor Nation.
Arie competed on Emily Maynard’s season of The Bachelorette, and he actually came in second.
But the controversy over Arie being a choice out of left field had less to do with his relative obscurity in the recent history of the franchise … and more to do with what the Bachelor Nation had wanted.
Because, though a number of fans were divided, a very vocal group and possibly a majority of the Bachelor Nation had wanted — and practically demanded — that the role of The Bachelor‘s leading man be filled by Peter Kraus.
Not just because of his gap-toothed smile or his abs, but because he’s charming and won over hearts and minds throughout Rachel Lindsay’s season of The Bachelorette.
And though their final breakup was a mess, leaving them both in emotional distress … apparently Peter didn’t win Rachel’s heart. At least, not enough.
What struck fans of The Bachelorette as sincere about Peter was that he told Rachel that he wasn’t prepared to propose to her at the finale, because he takes engagement so very seriously that he would want for them to spend more time together, first.
But Rachel wanted a fairytale romance, and Bryan Abasolo seemed willing to tell her whatever she wanted to hear.
Rachel wasn’t the only one displeased with Peter’s reluctance to jump into an engagement. The Bachelor producers hinted that Peter Kraus not might be the Bachelor, weeks before they announced Arie.
Peter Kraus responded to Arie’s announcement with dignity, of course.
Many members of the Bachelor Nation hold out hope that he might take the role in the next season.
But we have to wonder if The Bachelor‘s showrunners are suddenly having regrets.
Entertainment Tonight reports that Arie Luyendyk Jr. was dating someone … right up until two days before he was announced as being the next Bachelor.
Arie had reportedly been in a relationship with a woman named Sydney Stempfley for more than a year.
(Since Arie Luyendyk Jr was dating Courtney Robertson off and on as recently as a few months ago, we’ll assume that maybe he and Sydney took a break earlier this year)
He is said to have broken up with her two nights before the announcement, and not as a coincidence.
Which means that he ended a real relationship just to go on the show.
Apparently Arie would attend work functions with Sydney, but “everyone hated him.”
Jef Holm is the man who actually won Emily Maynard’s heart on The Bachelorette, all those hears ago.
Jef Holm and Arie Luyendyk Jr. remained friends … for a while.
In a tweet, Holm shared that he and Arie are no longer friends:
“As for [Arie]…I stopped being friends with him years ago because he’s disgusting.”
Holm also teased: “Oh the stories I could tell…”
Maybe he’ll comment further or maybe he won’t, but … such a short time after the announcement and dirt is already being revealed about Arie?
How much more will we learn by the time that The Bachelor beings airing?
It sounds like this upcoming season could be a hot mess.
A hot mess that producers could have easily avoided.
