Calling all the eligible bachelorettes! ABC named Colton Underwood, 26, leading man of “The Bachelor” on Good Morning America Tuesday morning. Underwood rose to fame during his time on Rebecca Kufrin’s season of “The Bachelorette” and Season 5 of “Bachelor in Paradise.”
Aside from his time with the Bachelor franchise, Underwood is a former NFL football player and currently runs his own non-profit business, Legacy Foundation. The foundation raises money and provides resources for people with cystic fibrosis. He is also known for dating Olympic gymnast and ‘Me Too’ activist Aly Raisman.
On Monday night’s episode of “Bachelor in Paradise,” Underwood had an emotional break up with fellow contestant Tia Booth. The pair met back in January, after Booth’s time on the 22nd season of “The Bachelor,” but before Underwood’s time on the 14th season of “The Bachelorette.” They rekindled their feelings for one another on “Bachelor in Paradise,” but Underwood determined he wasn’t 100 percent invested in Booth, and he left paradise.
“I wanted us to work so bad, it’s just not there,” Underwood said to a tearful Booth during the most recent episode.
When asked about his relationship with Booth now, he said they were finally on the same page. He is confident they are good friends, and Booth will not be making an appearance on his season of “The Bachelor.”
Underwood went through an emotional rollercoaster on both seasons in which he participated. Not only was the drama between him and Booth prominent, Underwood also revealed his virginity and his difficulty with the NFL football locker room culture.
“I think that’s one thing I took pride in on both seasons: being true to who I am, and I think it took all of that to get to where I am now and know who I am as a person and what I want in that life partner,” Underwood said on “Good Morning America.” Tuesday morning.
While he had an emotional ending on both seasons, he is excited about this new chapter in his life, nonetheless.
“I am excited, yeah, very excited,” Underwood said on GMA. “Third time’s a charm, that’s what they say right? What I am looking forward to the most is being engaged and getting married shortly after that.”
In his interview on “Good Morning America,” Underwood was asked what he is looking for in a partner, and his response was simple.
“You’ve just got to be passionate about something and be a good person,” he said.
Fans quickly took to Twitter to share their thoughts about Underwood being named the next Bachelor, most with a unifying sentiment—he has already had his chance. Many would have preferred Blake Horstmann, 28, or Jason Tartick, 29, who were also contestants on Kufrin’s season.
“Colton as the next Bachelor could be the most disappointing news I’ll hear all year #TheBachelor,” Andrea Fietsam, a Bachelor fan, tweeted.
Also, some fans are even ready to just see him off their TV screens permanently after his time on “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise.”
“Not really a huge fan of the pick for the new #theBachelor. Feel like they have been FORCING him down our throats and trying to MAKE us like him for two seasons. Thoughts???,” thought leader “Lunchbox” tweeted.
Whether you are a huge fan of Underwood or not, ABC is stirring up its audience and piquing interest for the season premiere in January.
