The twenty-fifth season of The Bachelor premiered on January 4, 2021. This season features 28-year-old Matt James, a real estate broker and charity founder from Raleigh, North Carolina.
James was originally cast on the sixteenth season of The Bachelorette featuring Clare Crawley. However, after filming was delayed due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, he was instead selected to be The Bachelor. The entire season was filmed at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania due to the pandemic, making this was the first and only season to film in a single location in The Bachelor. James is the first Black male lead in The Bachelor franchise.
The season concluded on March 15, 2021, with James choosing to pursue a relationship with 24-year-old graphic designer Rachael Kirkconnell. However, during the After the Final Rose special, it was revealed that James had broken up with Kirkconnell after her racially insensitive past came to light. They got back together in April 2021, but broke up for good in January 2025.
This was the final Bachelor Nation season to feature Chris Harrison as the host.
Production Casting and contestants On June 12, 2020, James was announced as the next Bachelor on Good Morning America. James is the first Black Bachelor in franchise history, and while it was intended and announced as the second African-American lead (after Rachel Lindsay of The Bachelorette 13), the sudden introduction of Tayshia Adams as a co-lead on The Bachelorette 16, made James the third African-American lead of the franchise. He is also the first lead to have not previously appeared on a series in The Bachelor franchise since Matt Grant in season 12.
Notable contestants include Mariela "Mari" Pepin, Miss Maryland USA 2019 and top 10 finalist in Miss USA 2019; Kit Keenan, daughter of fashion designer Cynthia Rowley; Sydney Johnson, daughter of former New York Giants running backs coach and current University of Maryland analyst Craig Johnson; Abigail Heringer, the first deaf contestant in The Bachelor franchise; and Catalina Morales, who was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 2015 and competed at Miss Universe 2015.
Filming and development
As with the sixteenth season of The Bachelorette, the season was filmed in a bio-secure bubble at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania, 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh due to quarantine safety protocols, making this the first The Bachelor season not to film in the traditional Villa de la Vina mansion in Agoura Hills, California, and the first location other than the mansion since season 11.
Former contestants Ashley Iaconetti, Ben Higgins, and Tyler Cameron, retired professional boxer Mia St. John, musician Aloe Blacc, and professional drift racer Tony Angelo made guest appearances this season.
Contestants On October 5, 2020, 43 potential contestants were revealed on The Bachelor social media sites. On December 11, 2020, the final cast of 32 women was revealed. In week 3, five new women joined the cast, bringing the total number of contestants to 37.
In week 6, season 23 contestant Heather Martin asked to join the cast, but James declined prior to the rose ceremony. NameAgeHometownOccupationArrivedOutcomePlaceRefRachael Kirkconnell24Cumming, GeorgiaGraphic DesignerWeek 1Winner1Michelle Young27Woodbury, MinnesotaTeacherWeek 3Runner-Up2Brianna "Bri" Springs24San Antonio, TexasCommunications ManagerWeek 1Week 93Serena Pitt23Markham, OntarioPublicistWeek 84 (quit)Pieper James23Happy Valley, OregonGraduate StudentWeek 75Jessenia Cruz27El Paso, TexasSocial Media Marketer6Kit Keenan21Manhattan, New YorkFashion Entrepreneur7 (quit)Abigail Heringer25Salem, OregonClient Financial Manager8Chelsea Vaughn28Marietta, GeorgiaRunway ModelWeek 69–10Serena Chew24San Bruno, CaliforniaFlight AttendantKatie Thurston29Lynnwood, WashingtonBank Marketing Manager11Brittany Galvin23Hinsdale, IllinoisModelWeek 3Week 512–1432Adwa, EthiopiaPharmacistWeek 1Ryan Claytor26Mechanicsville, VirginiaDancer/ChoreographerWeek 323Hudson, OhioHairstylistWeek 115Catalina Morales29Caguas, Puerto RicoFormer Miss Universe Puerto RicoWeek 3Week 416–19Lauren Maddox29Miami, FloridaCorporate AttorneyWeek 1Mariela "Mari" Pepin24Severn, MarylandMarketing DirectorVictoria Larson27Los Angeles, CaliforniaQueenAnna Redman24Owatonna, MinnesotaCopywriter20Kaili Anderson26San Diego, CaliforniaHostessWeek 321–23Khaylah Epps28Durham, North CarolinaHealthcare Advocate28Cypress, CaliforniaICU NurseWeek 3Sarah Trott24Scripps Ranch, CaliforniaBroadcast JournalistWeek 124 (quit)Alana Milne26San Antonio, TexasPhotographerWeek 225–29Illeana Pennetto25South Salem, New YorkHealth Food DeveloperKristin Hopkins27Virginia Beach, VirginiaAttorneyMarylynn Sienna28Huntington Beach, CaliforniaEvent CoordinatorSydney Johnson28Franklin, TennesseeMarketing SpecialistAlicia Holloway24Morgantown, West VirginiaProfessional BallerinaWeek 130–37Amber Andrews30Rialto, CaliforniaNursing StudentCarolyn Vallejo30Newburyport, MassachusettsJournalistCasandra Suarez25Lodi, CaliforniaSocial WorkerCorrinne Jones22Pomfret, ConnecticutMarketing ManagerEmani Curl25Albuquerque, New MexicoRealtorKimberly Courneya28Lake Tapps, WashingtonAirline RecruiterSaneh Ste. Claire25Vilano Beach, FloridaIT Consultant
Future appearances The Bachelorette Katie Thurston and Michelle Young were both chosen as the leads for seasons 17 and 18 of The Bachelorette respectively.
Bachelor in Paradise Season 7
Abigail Heringer, Alana Milne, Anna Redman, Chelsea Vaughn, Jessenia Cruz, Mari Pepin, Pieper James, Serena Chew, Serena Pitt and Victoria Larson returned for season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise. Serena C. and Victoria were eliminated in week 1. Alana and Pieper quit in week 3. Jessenia was eliminated in week 3. Abigail split from Noah Erb in week 5, although they've gotten back together. Chelsea was eliminated in week 5. Anna split from James Bonsall in week 6. Mari and Serena P. got engaged in week 6 to Kenny Braasch and Joe Amabile, respectively.
Season 8
Jessenia and Brittany Galvin returned for season 8 of Bachelor in Paradise. Jessenia quit in week 5. Brittany left in a relationship with Tyler Norris in week 6.
Bachelor in Paradise Canada Season 1
Illeana Pennetto returned for the inaugural season of Bachelor in Paradise Canada. She split from Brendan Scanzano in week 5.
Season 2
Chelsea returned for the second season of Bachelor in Paradise Canada. She left in a relationship with Austin Tinsley in week 6.
Dancing with the Stars
Matt James competed on season 30 of Dancing with the Stars. He was partnered with Lindsay Arnold. They were eliminated in week 4, finishing in 12th place.
House of Villains
Victoria appeared on the second season of House of Villains.
Call-out order OrderBachelorettesWeek123456789101BriAbigailBriRachaelBriRachaelPieperSerena P.Michelle MichelleRachael2RachaelBriLaurenSerena P.MichelleAbigailMichelleRachaelRachael RachaelMichelle3SarahRachaelSarahChelseaPieperKitBriBriBri Bri4JesseniaChelseaPieperMJBrittanyJesseniaRachaelMichelleSerena P. 5ChelseaSarahKitPieperRyanSerena P.Serena P.Pieper6MariMJMagiBriRachaelMichelleKitJessenia7MagiSerena P.RachaelMagiSerena P.PieperJesseniaKit8CarolynKhaylahAbigailMichelleMagiBriAbigailAbigail9SydneyKristinChelseaMariKitChelseaChelseaSerena C.10KristinKitJesseniaRyanMJKatie11AnnaMagiKatieKitJesseniaSerena C.Katie12KhaylahPieperSerena C.Serena C.KatieBrittanyMagiRyan13Serena C.MariSerena P.AbigailAbigail14Serena P.IlleanaKhaylahKatieChelsea15AliciaJesseniaMariVictoriaSerena C.MJ16SanehKailiMJLaurenCatalinaLaurenMariVictoria17AlanaMarylynnAnnaBrittany18KailiSerena C.KailiJessenia19AbigailLaurenVictoriaAnna20CorrinneSydneyAlanaIlleanaKristinMarylynnSydneyCatalinaAnna21MarylynnAlanaKailiKhaylahKim22EmaniKatie23LaurenAnna24PieperVictoriaSarah25MJAliciaAmberCarolynCasandraCorrinneEmaniKimberlySaneh26Katie27Amber28Kimberly29Casandra30Illeana31Kit32Victoria33Brittany34Michelle35Ryan36Kim37Catalina The contestant received the first impression rose The contestant received a rose during the date The contestant received a rose outside of a rose ceremony or date The contestant was eliminated The contestant was eliminated outside the rose ceremony The contestant was eliminated during the date The contestant quit the competition The contestant won the competition
Episodes
Controversy
Contestant Rachael Kirkconnell faced controversy in February 2021 after she was accused of liking racist social media posts and bullying a girl for dating African-American men in high school. Photos also emerged of Kirkconnell attending an Antebellum South plantation themed fraternity formal in 2018. Kirkconnell later issued an apology for her past behavior.
Host Chris Harrison was criticized for his defense of Kirkconnell after he claimed that "50 million people [attended an Antebellum South ball] in 2018," and "the woke police is out there." He later issued an apology for his comments. A petition to remove Harrison as host of the franchise garnered over 40,000 signatures. On February 13, 2021, Harrison announced that he would be "stepping aside for a period of time" and would not host the After the Final Rose special. On June 8, 2021, it was revealed Harrison would leave the franchise for good.
On February 27, 2021, Emmanuel Acho was selected as the replacement host for After the Final Rose. Acho is the author of the New York Times bestseller Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.
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