Jennifer Aniston Will ‘Gladly’ Host ‘The Bachelor’
Celebrities may live in luxury, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get sucked into an addictive reality TV show just like the rest of us. Jennifer Aniston has made it clear that she’s a fan of The Bachelor, and she’s certainly not alone. The reality TV show is now astonishingly in its 25th season, leaving a lot of contenders licking their wounds when they were eliminated before the final rose ceremony.
There’s going to be a huge test for The Bachelor, however, now that it has lost the stability of its long-running host. Would a celebrity like Jennifer Aniston be able to pick up the mantle and keep the popular show going? Aniston herself isn’t eliminating the possibility!
Chris Harrison has left ‘The Bachelor’
Since its premiere in 2002, The Bachelor has been guided through heartbreak, proposals, and shocking twists and turns by host Chris Harrison. Harrison spent nearly two decades in the role, so he’s become almost inseparable from the show in fans’ minds. Harrison initially left the show — seemingly temporarily — after defending previous contestant Rachael Kirkconnell during a controversy where pictures from her past attendance at an antebellum-themed sorority party surfaced. The entire controversy put a magnifying glass on the issue of race on the show.
Eventually, it became clear that Harrison’s temporary break was actually permanent, and in June 2021, he announced his departure.
So far, a permanent replacement for Harrison has not been announced, and the network managed to fill in the gap with Emmanuel Acho, but it does not seem like he’ll be taking on the role long-term. A quartet of celebrity co-hosts have been tapped to take on the hosting duties for Bachelor in Paradise 2021: David Spade, Lil Jon, Tituss Burgess, and Lance Bass. The series premieres on August 16, 2021.
As for the host of Season 26 of The Bachelor, the network is in no hurry to make an announcement, and they have plenty of time before the show’s expected premiere in January 2022.
Jennifer Aniston is a fan of ‘The Bachelor’
Jennifer Aniston landed the cover story for the September 2021 issue of InStyle, and the resulting interview provided an opportunity for the star to gush about her appreciation for The Bachelor. Interviewer Laura Brown asked Aniston, “Speaking of people who need doctors, you’re a notorious fan of The Bachelor.” Aniston quipped, “You think they need doctors?” She laughed before adding, “They all need help.”
Then Brown asked Aniston if she’d consider taking on guest hosting duties since the job is up for grabs. “God, I don’t know. I think they need a psychologist or psychiatrist, not just Chris Harrison — or whoever the host is now. There should be someone they can go and talk to,” Aniston replied. When Brown responded that Aniston could fill that role, Aniston responded, “OK, well, I’ll do that. Gladly. I’ll be the one picking roses in the rose garden.”
Jennifer Aniston would bring a wealth of experience to the position
Aniston’s hypothetical appearance on The Bachelor would definitely add something new to the show. While Aniston has certainly been in comedies and became famous for her role on the sitcom Friends, she’s also known for her more serious work and her A-list status.
The host of a reality TV show does quite a bit to set the tone, and the show’s reliance on comedians like David Spade and Tituss Burgess give it a particularly light feel. If Aniston — who has been vocal about the importance of mental health and who has been in the spotlight for her own relationship woes — took on the part, she might bring a more serious and reverent tone to the show.
