Even though viewers have yet to meet Clayton Echard from Michelle Young’s season of The Bachelorette, there are many reasons why ABC went the unconventional route and chose Clayton as the next star of The Bachelor. Since Michelle’s season won’t air until October 19, viewers have no knowledge of Clayton yet, which isn’t usually the case for a future Bachelor. Still, producers feel confident he’s the right choice for the next lead.
Rumors began to circulate about Clayton becoming The Bachelor last week after several photos were released of him filming his intro package for the show. While the network has yet to publically comment on the new lead, Clayton has seemingly confirmed the news himself. Not only did he film a few scenes in his hometown of Eureka, Missouri, where he confirmed his status as The Bachelor, but he also hinted at his new role on social media.
After meeting the 28-year-old during Michelle’s season, producers knew he would be the perfect fit for the next Bachelor lead. “Clayton stood out right off the bat,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly of the new lead. “Producers ended up going with him because they believed he was the best fit for the role.” The insider added the network wanted to “switch things up” and pick someone new who has yet to be in the spotlight, unlike leads from the past. They also said the mystery of not knowing Clayton is “more exciting for the prospective contestants.” In fact, the crew working on the new season didn’t even know who the next Bachelor would be until a week before they began filming.
Production for Michelle’s season ended earlier this month, with Clayton shooting his intro package shortly after. Michelle’s season began production this past summer and ended in early September. The new season of The Bachelorette will be hosted by Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe once again after the pair took on the co-host roles during Katie Thurston’s season. However, it’s unclear if Tayshia and Kaitlyn will be hosting Clayton’s season of The Bachelor as well. Although Clayton is “very, very nervous,” he is hoping the process works out in his favor, as he wants to find his person by the end of the season.
ABC is excited to have Clayton as The Bachelor for season 26. Even though the viewers have yet to meet him, producers believe the mystery of who Clayton is will not only be interesting for the contestants but also the fans. So far, Clayton seems like a great choice as the lead.
