Why Ali Fedotowsky Thinks Luke Pell Is The Next ‘Bachelor’
It may seem a little early in the season to be speculating about who JoJo Fletcher chooses as her winner on The Bachelorette. But some viewers — including those in the Bachelor/Bachelorette family — are even taking it a step further and making guesses about who among JoJo’s men might be the next Bachelor. Ali Fedotowsky, who is both a Bachelor alum and a former Bachelorette, wrote on her blog that Luke Pell is already in the running to head up next season.
She’s gone past simply saying that he’s a good candidate for the job to say the show is setting up the audience to rally behind him — with all the trappings of staged television.
“Luke is definitely being set up as the next Bachelor. Jojo is into him for sure, but not in the same way she’s into Jordan. Who knows, maybe I’m wrong and Jojo will end up with Luke, but my gut tells me otherwise. Every single sweet thing he says is in the show for us to hear. Sweet music is in the background whenever he talks. The show wants us to love Luke and I have to say, it’s working! What a sweetheart!”
Pell is an army veteran who Wetpaint recalls tragically lost a childhood friend while serving in Afghanistan. He discussed his past during an emotionally intimate date with JoJo. Pell carries a significant military credential as a West Point graduate and has a successful career.
During some pre-season press, Bachelorette host Chris Harrison told Yahoo Pell was a standout, but perhaps not the right fit for JoJo — perfectly setting him up to be the lead in the next round of the Bachelor franchise. Harrison singled out Pell’s service history, intelligence, and good looks as assets. He’s also a fellow Texan like JoJo.
“He really fits for JoJo. But he might be too perfect on paper but not add up in real life.”
Pell has already had a one-on-one date with JoJo, showing he’s caught the eye of someone — whether it’s the Bachelorette herself or one of her producers. Carter Matt revealed that on Monday night’s episode, Pell will be one of the guys on a group date that involves sand-surfing in Uruguay — just another average setting for a romantic engagement.
Luke Pell is not only a war veteran but an artist. The 31-year-old is a country musician whose Gigmasters bio says is influenced by traditional country as well as southern rock bands like The Black Crowes and Lynyrd Skynyrd. On his official Bachelorette bio, he describes himself as a “party starter,” (given the options of “party starter,” “wingman,” or “laid back one”). He named Shark Tank star and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban as the one person he’d like to have lunch with, “because I want to know what he thinks made him successful.”
Since both The Bachelorette and Shark Tank air on the same network, Pell might be able to pull some strings to make that lunch with Cuban happen — especially if he does become the next Bachelor.
As for Luke’s chances on The Bachelorette, Ali Fedotowsky seemed to echo Harrison’s pre-season sentiments in her own blog post, which was posted on June 8.
“Luke is the other clear front-runner [with Jordan] in my opinion. But I think she likes the idea of him more than she is actually falling for him. Like he is the ‘good on paper’ guy that she knows would make a great husband. But maybe they aren’t quite a match for each other.”
If Pell’s bio can be believed, not quite right isn’t enough. He said he’s looking for a marriage that involves “two people who consider themselves best friends, lovers and soulmates.”
The Bachelorette airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. on ABC.
[Photo by Joshua Blanshard/Getty Images]
