Bachelor in Paradise isn’t a regular Bachelor franchise show. It’s a cool Bachelor franchise show. And thus, it deserves a cool host — not Jesse Palmer. (Sorry to this man.)
While the former Bachelor lead managed to keep The Bachelor and The Bachelorette afloat the past two seasons, he doesn’t necessarily exude Paradise vibes. The spinoff, which invites select Bachelor Franchise alum on a three-week stay at a Mexico beach for a second shot at finding love, is fun, chaotic, and a bit messy at times. Paradise deserves a host who can effortlessly embrace that energy, and Palmer feels too put together and professional for the job. Usually those qualities are desirable in a host, but as a reminder, Paradise isn’t nearly as structured as the franchise’s other shows.
During the September 27 premiere, Palmer tried his best to adapt to Paradise. He walked across the beach in shoes, took a shot, and cracked some obviously scripted jokes, but his hosting felt forced. Palmer explained he was “excited, honored, and humbled” to be a part of the show, and I truly believed that, but those genuine emotions weren’t strong enough to make corny quips such as “sounds like man tears to me,” “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” or “Viva la Paradise!” feel natural.
If Palmer wants to keep hosting The Bachelor, so be it. But is he really the best fit to navigate beach hijinks, hook-ups, and heartbreak? In Chris Harrison’s absence, Season 7 of Paradise featured a rotating lineup of guest hosts, including David Spade, Lil Jon, Tituss Burgess, Lance Bass, and beloved Paradise bartender Wells Adams. Now for the record, I think having multiple hosts in a single is a little too chaotic, but why couldn’t one of these men — preferably Adams — have gone solo? Or why couldn’t one of the many women connected to this franchise have a shot at Paradise host? Send Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe to Mexico for a season, cowards!
In fans’ minds, the Paradise host possibilities are worthy of being explored. David Spade? Bring him back. Nathan Fielder? Let’s see what he’s got. Gabby Windey’s Grandpa John? Get that man mic’d up.
The host options are endless, but when I think of Paradise, only one couple comes to mind: Wells Adams and Sarah Hyland. After Adams appeared on Season 12 of The Bachelorette, he participated in Paradise Season 3 and made such a mark that he returned to take over as bartender when Jorge Moreno left the show. Adams returned to Paradise for the Season 8 premiere and will be bartending alongside Palmer, but the episode showed Adams already has a natural chemistry with the cast and they feel comfortable opening up to him about their journeys.
For those who don’t know, Adams and Hyland, who recently tied the knot, met on Twitter when Adams was pouring drinks on the spinoff. So why the heck aren’t we letting the two of them co-host? They’re king and queen of Paradise. Even Nicholas Braun (aka Cousin Greg on Succession) agrees it’s Adams’ time to shine.
In a 2021 interview with Us Weekly, Adams admitted that he was “a little bit bummed” that Palmer was asked to host instead of him after Harrison’s departure from the franchise. You know what? SAME! With Adams currently hosting Hulu’s Best in Dough and Hyland stepping in to host Peacock’s Love Island USA, it feels like the Bachelor Franchise missed a major opportunity to revamp Paradise and give fans what they want.
