Everything we know about The Bachelor season 29 starring Grant Ellis

We’re ready for yet another “most dramatic season in Bachelor history” this season when Grant Ellis and his potential fiancees take over the mansion for season 29 of The Bachelor. While he didn’t find love with the Bachelorette Jenn Tran, Grant does have a shot at finding the one on this season of The Bachelor. Here’s everything we know about The Bachelor season 29 starring Grant Ellis. 

About the next Bachelor, Grant Ellis

Grant is a “self-proclaimed mama’s boy” according to his bio in the official ABC press release, and is a former professional basketball player currently working as a day trader. Grant is also described as the one “who captured the hearts of Bachelor Nation with his genuine desire to build a future centered around family." He is a 30-year-old New Jersey native and was eliminated on week 6 of Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette.

Grant’s mom nominated him to be on The Bachelorette, and of course, his mom was among the first to find out he’d been cast as a franchise lead in a video posted on The Bachelor Instagram account. According to an interview with Good Morning America, Grant is looking for “somebody who’s adventurous, somebody who’s affectionate, and somebody who’s loving.”

Grant also shared some turn-offs in a potential wife with Extra, stating “You got to smell good, you know, you can't be smelling like some Beetlejuice… You also can't be too self-absorbed… You have to take other people into consideration — that's something big for me also.”

Grant is the second black Bachelor in 29 seasons of the show. The first black Bachelor lead was Matt James on season 25 in 2021. While the two haven’t spoken yet, Grant has received encouragement and advice from other series leads including The Bachelor season 28’s Joey Graziadei, who is currently competing on Dancing With the Stars alongside Grant’s ex, The Bachelorette’s Jenn Tran. 

The casting decision

It was a pretty surprising decision to cast Grant as season 29’s lead. While executive producer Robert Mills states they came to the decision to announce Grant as the Bachelor early so women could still apply for the show, they’ve never had a shortage of single women looking for love. 

He was announced as the Bachelor immediately following his elimination from season 21 of The Bachelorette. Grant was eliminated in the episode prior to the hometown dates.

The women of The Bachelor season 29

The official cast of 27 single women vying for Grant’s heart was announced on The Bachelor's Facebook on Sept. 16 but was swiftly removed from their page. While we don’t have full details about the cast yet, here’s what we do know about the women.

Some of the most notable contestants include one of the youngest cast members to be cast in any of the 29 seasons, 23-year-old Andrea, from Miami, FL, several women from New York and Los Angeles, and a woman named Dina, 29 from Chicago, IL who I personally will be rooting for solely because we share a name. Also interesting is the oldest cast member on the cast is 32-year-old Neicey from Blythewood, SC. Cast lists have been known to change closer to the season premiere, so we’ll keep you posted on any replacements. 

It’s too soon to tell if any of the women are truly there for the right reasons, but there’s always sure to be some drama around who is genuine and who is looking to launch their influencer careers.  

How to watch The Bachelor season 29

The Bachelor season 29 will air on ABC and stream on Hulu the day following the live episodes. It is hosted by Jesse Palmer, former NFL Player and the Bachelor, season 5. 

There is no official season premiere date for season 29 of The Bachelor, but we do know it won’t air until sometime in 2025. Filming started this month, September 2024. Typically, ABC premieres The Bachelor in the early winter, so expect a premiere date sometime soon!

While Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette just ended in a nightmare breakup announced on After the Final Rose, you can watch prior seasons of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise on Hulu. 

You can catch The Golden Bachelorette starring Joan Vassos, who previously competed for Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner’s heart, on ABC, Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. CT. The Golden Bachelorette premiered on Sept. 18.