Skip to Content

ABC officially named Chris Soules The Bachelor this week, confirming the worst kept secret that fans have either known or assumed for some time.

That doesn’t mean Arie Luyendyk Jr. is happy about it, however.

Like Soules, Luyendyk was a former Bachelorette contestant who proved widely popular on the reality show, but fell just short in his journey for love.

Arie, who wooed Emily Maynard in 2012, was being recruited for The Bachelor this year along with Soules, and is said to be “pissed” about the decision.

His own Tweets on the subject weren’t that harsh. He wrote:

“I’m not the Bachelor. Have fun on the farm people.”

Arie Luyendyk Jr. “was definitely being considered,” says a show source, adding that producers “really liked him” but went with Soules’ unique appeal to fans.

 

The 32-year-old race car driver made no secret that he wanted in, and producers reportedly even filmed him in his hometown. Still, Soules got the nod.

Farmer Chris “wants to find a wife and family so badly, but he’s also stuck in a place that he absolutely loves and where he needs to be for his job.”

“Being a farmer’s wife might not be for everybody, but there are a lot of women who really believe in it. t will be a season different from other seasons.”

“There will be some fun, pleasant surprises,” the show insider goes on, addng, “unlike a lot of Bachelors, you know exactly what Chris is offering.”

Sorry, Arie. No hard feelings … but it wasn’t meant to be.

Chris Soules: The best choice for The Bachelor?