The Bachelor franchise is welcoming back Grant Ellis as the star of its 29th season nearly a year after he made his debut appearance on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette.
Ellis, 31, becomes the second-ever Black male lead of ABC’s hit dating series, following Matt James who became the first in 2021.
During the new season premiere on Monday (January 27), Ellis will meet 25 eager women competing for his heart.
According to his official Bachelor bio, Ellis is “a self-proclaimed mama’s boy,” with an “infectious smile and unwavering positivity [that] instantly brightens every room he enters.”
Early life and career
Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, the December 15-born Saggitarius is a 6’5” former pro basketball player who currently works as a day trader.
He previously played basketball for three different universities: Iona University, Southern University and Albertus Magnus College. He graduated from the latter in 2017.
Ellis then went professional, mostly playing overseas in the Dominican Republic. He played for four years there before an injury ended his career.
He now lives in Houston, Texas where he works buying and selling stocks.
“When he’s not immersed in the fast-paced world of finance, you can find him cheering on the Lakers, hitting strikes at the bowling alley, or belting out tunes at karaoke nights,” his bio continues.
His Bachelor journey
Ellis previously revealed that his mother was the one who signed him up to be on the dating show. When he joined The Bachelorette cast last summer, he had been single for over a year after getting out of a seven-year relationship.
He briefly touched on the relationship on a past Viall Files podcast episode, describing the break up as “amicable” and explaining that it was due to differing plans for their futures.
What he’s looking for in a partner
After his week six Bachelorette elimination, Ellis told the cameras that all he wanted was “a family. I want to be happy. I want a wife. I want to be in love. I want that, you know. I want to give that to somebody, and I want them to give that to me in return.”
As an avid salsa dancer who has plans to travel to every country in his lifetime, he is eager “to embark on a journey filled with romance, adventure, and genuine connections” and “hopes to find a partner who shares his values of loyalty, humor and a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures,” his bio adds.
Season 29 of The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EST on ABC, with episodes streaming on Hulu the next day.
