ABC/Billy Kidd The new Bachelor, Matt James, poses with a rose.
The first impression rose is a staple of The Bachelor franchise. Handed out on night one, the lead gives out their first rose to someone who provides the best impression and often serves as an indicator of who will make it far in the competition. So, who will receive Matt James’ first impression rose?
STOP! Do not read further if you wish to avoid spoilers on season 25 of The Bachelor.
Ahead of tonight’s premiere, Reality Steve has reaffirmed his earlier reports. In October, the man behind many of Bachelor Nation’s biggest spoilers revealed Abigail Heringer, 25, would receive the coveted rose.
Chris Harrison basically confirmed the news during a preview of this season’s contestants. With a smirk, he said Heringer makes “a very strong first impression,” before adding, “maybe check that off.”
Amid an outcry for greater representation in the franchise, Heringer, who is from Beaverton, Oregon, is making history as the franchise’s first deaf contestant.
“I was surprised she was willing to share her story about her hearing loss,” Heringer’s mother, Suzie, told the Statesman Journal. “It’s something she usually doesn’t talk much about.”
According to the publication, Suzie wonders if the increased focus on diversity amid the season with the franchise’s first Black Bachelor helped her daughter’s chances.
“With her disability, if that can impact one other person, it’s worth sharing the story,” she continued. Heringer, and her older sister Rachel, both underwent the procedure to implant a cochlear implant at age two.
Chris Harrison Expects Her to Be a Fan Favorite
While previewing the contestants, Chris Harrison declared, “I’m gonna say right away, Abigail is one of our favorites.”
The Oregon native is a graduate of Linfield College, where she competed in golf. She now works as a Client Financial Manager at Opus Agency in Portland. However, she was recently furloughed which made The Bachelor a more plausible choice.
“She’s always made us proud, and she’s got a really good head on her shoulders, so I’m not worried about anything,” her mom told the Statesman Journal. “Hopefully, she’ll have fun.”
First Impressions Are Usually Strong Indicators of Who Will Make It Far in the Competition
Longtime fans of the franchise know the first impression rose is often a strong indicator of who will make it to the end. Though, Bachelorettes tend to have a better initial inkling than their male counterparts.
Of the Bachelorettes, DeAnna Pappas, Ali Fedotowsky, Kaitlyn Bristowe, JoJo Fletcher, Rachel Lindsay, Becca Kufrin and Clare Crawley all went on to pick their first impression rose recipient. The Bachelors have a lower success rate, with only Peter Weber and Sean Lowe giving out their first and last rose to the same person.
“The men get caught up in the fantasy of the woman that they probably could never get in real life … it’s very easy to do,” Lindsay told Us Weekly in September 2020. Lindsay went on to marry her first impression rose recipient, Bryan Abasolo.
She continued, “Women, I feel like we pull our heads out of the cloud a bit and we say, ‘Who can make sense in real life?’ And I think that’s why you’ve seen more success with the women because we take that into consideration.”
Season 25 of The Bachelor premieres tonight on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
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