“I look for someone who will be by my side and will grow with me…through the ups and downs,” Clayton told Glamour in January 2022. There’s going to be those tough moments. That’s where communication, transparency, all these other things start to factor in… I want someone that can have those tough conversations." For week 2 of Clayton’s Bachelor season, a very special someone will be literally by his side: actress and singer Hilary Duff, who will appear on Season 26’s second episode! (Actress and comedian Ziwe is also expected to make an appearance.) “Back on the dating scene… sort of,” Duff recently captioned a pic she shared on Instagram that shows her alongside Clayton. “Who will get a rose? I got to help Clayton look for love on The Bachelor—career high!!!” Duff will reportedly help Clayton and several Season 26 contestants plan a children’s birthday party. And speaking of those contestants: Who are this season’s romantic hopefuls? Plus, where did The Bachelor film for Season 26 and what do we know about Clayton, as well as the women who have the best shot at winning his heart? To learn the answers to all those questions and read up on the latest spoilers, here’s everything we know so far about The Bachelor Season 26 with Clayton Echard.
Who is the new Bachelor?
Clayton Echard was, until recently, a contestant on Michelle’s season of The Bachelorette (a.k.a. Season 18), which kicked off in mid-October. His hometown is Eureka, Mo., but his official Bachelorette profile lists him as living in Columbia, Mo. Clayton never appeared a ton on The Bachelorette, and while he and Michelle seemed to have an easy connection, it turned out that the lack of major sparks between them led to his ouster from the show. Clayton is a medical sales rep who briefly played in the NFL. He also seems pretty big into sports, saying in his Bachelorette profile that he’s looking for a woman who is “athletic enough to join him at the gym for a workout” and that he “would love to own multiple gyms” one day. FWIW, the Season 26 Bachelor host (and former Bachelor star) Jesse Palmer also gave Clayton a shout-out on Instagram, writing, “Meet my younger, bigger, better-looking brother from another mother, @claytonechard ????#TheBachelor,” next to a photo of himself and Clayton.
What is Clayton Echard’s age?
Clayton was born on April 29, 1993, which makes him 28 years old heading into the Season 26 premiere of The Bachelor.
When will Clayton’s Bachelor season premiere?
Clayton’s season of TheBachelor is scheduled to premiere on Monday, Jan.3, 2022, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
Who’s hosting Clayton’s season of The Bachelorette?
This is the first season of The Bachelor after long-time host Chris Harrison left the franchise earlier this year. Former Bachelor star Jesse Palmer has been announced as the host of Clayton’s season. And, while there hasn’t been any public indication that he’ll host more seasons after that, Variety reports that Jesse may take over hosting duties for both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette after this, but nothing is finalized yet.
Where did Clayton’s season of The Bachelor film?
While Matt James’ season of The Bachelor filmed outside of the classic Bachelor mansion, Clayton and his crew are back in it for at least part of their journey. Bachelor creator Mike Fleisstweeted in September that the crew was “back,” before sharing a pic of the mansion. Filming is still ongoing, but it looks like at least some of it is happening in Houston, Tex. “Cast & crew are staying at the C Baldwin Curio Collection by Hilton in Houston,” Reality Steve tweeted in mid-October. Filming also happened in Eureka, Mo., although there weren’t any contestants spotted with Clayton at that time.
Who are Clayton’s contestants on The Bachelor Season 26?
ABC previously teased an “early look” on Facebook of 33 women who “may be on this season of The Bachelor.” Meaning, it’s not entirely clear at this point if these women will actually make the final cut and/or if other women will also be in the mix. You can take a look here at all of the women vying for Clayton’s final rose.
What happened between Clayton and Michelle on The Bachelorette Season 18?
Clayton was always game for competing to win Michelle’s heart on The Bachelorette, but their interactions were relatively few and far between. RealitySteve did not have Clayton listed as one of the men in Michelle’s top four—and as predicted, Clayton was shown the door before Season 18’s hometown dates took place. Apparently, things ended on a good note, though. Michelle told Entertainment Tonight that Clayton “deserves to find his person.”
Are there any Bachelor Season 26 spoilers?
There are some spoilers, but not a ton so far. According to Reality Steve, Teddi Wright received Clayton’s first impression rose; Reality Steve has also said that there’s an early-season frontrunner named Serene Russell, who has at least two one-on-one dates with Clayton. “All indications are that Serene will make final 4 and get a hometown date,” Reality Steve tweeted. And, because this is The Bachelor we’re talking about, there’s plenty of drama. “Someone who gets a group date rose, gets it taken away from them at the rose ceremony and sent home,” Reality Steve said. He also says that Shanae Ankey is this season’s villain.
Does Clayton Echard get engaged on The Bachelorette?
We’re not sure yet, but it does seem like he really wants to find love. “What the viewers are going to see is that Clayton’s just genuine,” Michelle told Entertainment Tonight. “He’s really sweet. He came there to find his person. As cliché as it is, he was there for the right reasons.” Next, did they live happily ever after? Find out where former Bachelorette leads are now.
