After months of speculating who the lead of The Bachelor Season 28 would be, Bachelor Nation fans were elated to learn that Joey Graziadei was chosen for the role. Joey was the runner up on The Bachelorette Season 20, led by Charity Lawson. While Charity and Joey had an undeniable connection, she ultimately chose Dotun Olubeko over him.
As usual, fans anticipated that the next lead of The Bachelor would be announced on After The Final Rose. When Jesse Palmer finally revealed the news, viewers were ecstatic, as Joey was a huge fan favorite on The Bachelorette. After years of failing, producers finally nailed the casting for The Bachelor by choosing Joey. Here’s why.
Producers Finally Chose a Lead Fans Actually Want To See
ABC producers have generally listened to viewers when casting The Bachelorette leads. However, they have often failed to do so when choosing the leading man of The Bachelor. After Clayton Echard was cast to lead The Bachelor Season 26, producers faced a lot of backlash, as he had virtually no fan support. Bachelor Nation was a little happier with Zach Shallcross being chosen to lead The Bachelor Season 27. Though he was not exactly a fan favorite either.
Joey, on the other hand, has been a huge fan favorite since he first stepped out of the limo. While Joey is certainly easy on the eyes, he also proved himself to be kind and genuine throughout the season. Since Joey made it all the way to the finale, viewers are also very familiar with him, unlike previous leads such as Clayton.
Over the last few years, Bachelor Nation has taken a bit of a tumble. Recent seasons have not been very well received. Charity’s season seemed to turn this around, however, and really brought Bachelor Nation back together after a rocky few seasons. By choosing a fan favorite like Joey to lead the next season of The Bachelor, producers are doing what they need to get the franchise back on track.
Joey Is Mature and Ready To Find Love
Another attribute that makes Joey a fantastic lead is the fact that he is mature and actually ready for love, unlike other leads in the past. Joey proved himself to be one of the most mature contestants throughout the season. He focused solely on Charity and didn’t get caught up in the drama of the house. Joey maintained positive relationships with the majority of the men in the house as well, and always acted like a true team player on group dates.
After he was announced as the next Bachelor, Jesse asked Joey if he felt ready to find love again, to which he responded he did. Joey explained that after watching Charity and Dotun’s journey, he was able to get the closure he really needed from his relationship with her. Now that Joey has taken the time to heal from that heartbreak, he is ready to hopefully find his soulmate on The Bachelor Season 28!
Joey Brings Something Different To the Table
Finally, Joey is not your typical Bachelor lead, which is honestly refreshing to see. The Bachelor has not cast leads as diverse as The Bachelorette has, and there’s definitely a certain type of man they love to cast. For instance, the franchise is infamous for casting football players as leads, although Joey does not adhere to this stereotype. Instead, Joey is actually a professional tennis player, which we think is more interesting anyway!
Joey’s career is not the only thing that makes him stand out. He also resides in quite a special place. Joey lives on the island of Kauai, though he originally grew up in Pennsylvania. It is admirable that he was able to build a dream life for himself in such a beautiful place. Plus, Hawaii isn’t a state that many Bachelor Nation contestants call home.
While it will be a few months until Bachelor Nation fans are able to watch Joey’s journey, the anticipation for his season will surely stay alive. Production finally hit the nail on the head. For once, they listened to fans when deciding who to cast as The Bachelor.
TELL US – WHY ARE YOU EXCITED TO SEE JOEY AS THE BACHELOR?
