Jesse Palmer has revealed that he needed to push Grant Ellis along when making his final decision because The Bachelor star was "so conflicted" between his Final 2 bachelorettes.
Jesse insisted a preview of The Bachelor's Season 29 finale that showed Grant torn between two women ahead of his Final Rose Ceremony was not over-dramatized or edited to mislead viewers.
"It's real," Jesse told Us Weekly in a recent interview. "And I don't know if you could tell from watching that [preview, but] from my reaction, I was surprised."
In the preview, which ABC released in December 2024, Grant was shown meeting with Jesse on the day of his Final Rose Ceremony and explaining that he was still unsure of which woman he was going to pick.
"I'm scared of making the wrong decision," Grant said in the preview.
Jesse then asked Grant, "Do you feel like you know what you want to do?"
And Grant replied, "The truth is, I don't know."
"Well, we've got both women," Jesse noted. "They're here on standby. And of course I have to know which one to send first."
Jesse told Us that his conversation with Grant on that last day of filming was a first for him as host of The Bachelor franchise.
"That was something that I haven't encountered yet as host in the last four years on any of the franchises," Jesse shared.
"Normally, I think, our leads have a little bit more clarity -- a lot more clarity -- heading into the final day. And I really think that's how conflicted Grant really was."
Jesse suggested that the caliber of women in Grant's cast played a big role in the 31-year-old day trader's indecisiveness.
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"I've said this all along: the cast of women on Grant's season are remarkable. They are phenomenal," Jesse gushed.
"Every year, for whoever our lead is, making that final decision on that final day is already a difficult decision. But I can appreciate some of why Grant was so conflicted. I'll just say that."
Jesse reiterated how that preview accurately represented what went down before the Final Rose Ceremony.
"But absolutely, without saying or giving away too much, that was authentic and it's real and it's not edited," Jesse confirmed.
Jesse revealed that it got to a point where production had to nudge Grant along in order to keep the cameras rolling.
"It's not something that I want to say or I should say either," Jesse explained.
"I mean, it's sort of implied. Everybody gets it. But it got to the point during our conversation where it was so up in the air, I mean, we had to get it going."
The Bachelor host pointed out how Grant had to make his mind up, even if he didn't feel completely ready to make a choice.
"He's got to make a decision and we have to have an ending," Jesse noted.
"And I'm sorry I did it and I said it that way and to kind of break that fourth wall, but I had to say it to help him understand."
Jesse concluded, "I know Grant understood, but that's kind of where it went. And that sort of, I think, shows just kind of how real that was."
Grant, a New Jersey native who currently resides in Houston, TX, will meet 25 bachelorettes when Season 29 of the ABC reality series premieres on Monday, January 27 at 8PM ET/PT.
The Night 1 ladies range in age from 25-32, and the cast includes a pediatric speech therapist, a boxing trainer, an interior designer, an attorney, a venture capitalist, and a wedding planner.
Grant, a former pro basketball player, hopes his future partner will join him on karaoke nights and cheering on the Lakers team at an NBA game. He also likes to go bowling once in a while.
"As the Bachelor, Grant is eager to embark on a journey filled with romance, adventure and genuine connections," ABC said in a statement.
It's now Grant's turn to hand out roses after having his heart broken on The Bachelorette's 21st season starring Jenn Tran, which wrapped in Summer 2024.
Jenn had eliminated Grant right before her Final 4 bachelors' hometown dates during the show's August 12 episode.
Although Jenn didn't even select Grant as one of her Final 4 bachelors, Grant was admittedly "falling" in love with The Bachelorette star -- so much so, he said he was totally ready to get engaged.
Fans are now hoping that Grant found lasting love and got engaged on The Bachelor.
