ABC Exec Teases Return of Wells Adams to ‘The Bachelor’ Franchise

It has been nearly one year since Chris Harrison announced his departure as host of “The Bachelor” franchise, and fans are still wondering who will permanently fill his role.

Last summer, fan-favorite Wells Adams was brought in to help helm the seventh season of “Bachelor in Paradise,” but when it came time to fill the coveted “Bachelor” hosting role, former franchise star Jesse Palmer got the job. The former “Bachelor” lead was announced as the new host in September 2021, just as “Paradise” was ending its summertime run.

After hosting Clayton Echard’s season of the show, Palmer was announced as host of the upcoming double “Bachelorette” season with Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey – despite the fact that Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe held down the fort for Katie Thurston and Michelle Young’s seasons.

In a new interview with Variety, ABC executive Robert Mills teased that Palmer will now host “Bachelor in Paradise” this summer as well. “We are still in the middle of planning the creative on ‘Bachelor in Paradise, but I would be very surprised if Jesse wasn’t a part of it,” he revealed.

While Adams was joined by a rotating of celeb guests such as Lil’ Jon, David Spade, and Lance Bass last summer, Mills hinted that Palmer will go solo as Harrison did for six seasons before him in Paradise.

“I think it will be great to have guest stars there, but guest hosts? I don’t think we need it,” Mills said. “I think they can still do everything they did that was so great, and we can still have someone like Jesse in that host role.”

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Mills Wants to Keep Wells Adams on Board

Many Bachelor fans had hoped that Wells Adams would return as a host on “Bachelor in Paradise.” The former “Bachelorette” contestant has long been the bartender on the summertime spinoff, but fans loved him in the rotating host role last summer.

“You never say never,” Mills teased of Adams’ future on the franchise. “If we can figure out other roles for Wells, absolutely. Just in terms of the Walt Disney family, he is actually hosting a food competition for us at Hulu. We love Wells. So whether it’s within ‘The Bachelor’ or just in the broader ABC, Disney, Hulu family, we are Wells’ number one fan.”

Mills also addressed the end of the fairy godmother vibe of “The Bachelorette” with dual hosts Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe.

“Kaitlyn and Tayshia did an extraordinary job,” he said. “I can’t say enough about how great they were. I thought they brought such a different style to it, which was really refreshing and people liked. Some people are still upset that they’re not doing it, and I think that’s a testament to how great they did.”

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Wells Adams Admitted He Really Wanted the Hosting Hob

Wells Adams has been a visible part of Bachelor Nation ever since fans first met him on JoJo Fletcher’s season of “The Bachelorette” in 2016 and later on “Bachelor in Paradise.” He ultimately found love off-camera with “Modern Family” star Sarah Hyland, and the two got engaged in 2019, per People. But Adams has remained a big part of “The Bachelor” franchise, returning as the beach bartender on “Paradise” for several seasons. After getting promoted to a host last summer, fans thought he was a shoo-in for “The Bachelor” hosting role vacated by Harrison.

Adams told Us Weekly he was “a little bit” bummed that Palmer ended up getting the job over him, but that he understood the decision because he had never been “The Bachelor.”

But he still admitted he wanted the gig. “I wanted that job, come on,” he said. “It’s the best job in the world. You fly around, you say three words, [give] last rose [and] get outta here.”

At the time, Adams noted that there was still “no host for Paradise yet.” “So we’ll see,” he added.

Adams previously told ABC 11 that he was ready to do whatever was needed of him in “The Bachelor” franchise.

“Whatever they want me to do I’m ready to do it!” he revealed. “I’m not sure what the next step is, but whatever ABC and Bachelor Nation wants, I’ll go do it. If they want me to host the show, sure I’ll go do that, if they want me to be the janitor next season, OK, I’ll go do that too. Whatever you guys want.”

The ABC veteran also told  Entertainment Tonight that he wants to “be a part of the franchise in whatever aspect that they want me to be involved.”

Now that Mills has made it pretty clear that Adams won’t be hosting “Bachelor in Paradise” either, fans will have to hope that the show uses him in another way.

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