GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOTV)- By now, you’ve probably seen tons of headlines announcing the new Season 25 lead of The Bachelor! His name is Matt James and Bachelor Nation has already fallen in love with him for many reasons!
As we wait for the series premiere to air in 2021, here are 10 fun facts to know about the new Bach!
1. He’s the first black male lead in Bachelor history!
That’s right! You’ve read it correctly! For the first time in 40 seasons and 18 years, Matt James has become the first black bachelor! Many fans are elated about the news because the franchise has been criticized for lacking diversity.
ABC released the following statement after announcing this milestone,
“We know we have a responsibility to make sure the love stories we’re seeing onscreen are representative of the world we live in, and we are proudly in service to our audience. This is just the beginning, and we will continue to take action with regard to diversity issues on this franchise. We feel so privileged to have Matt as our first Black Bachelor and we cannot wait to embark on this journey with him.”
Read more about it HERE
2. He’s no stranger to Bachelor Nation
Many fans recognize Matt because he’s best friends with Tyler Cameron! If you can recall, Tyler was a runner-up on Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette in 2019. Although Tyler didn’t win the competition, he, Hannah, and Matt have been spending loads of time together even in quarantine!
Here’s a behind the scenes clip of Tyler supporting Matt during his interview on GMA on Friday, June 12, 2020. #BFFGoals
Maybe Hannah can also give Matt some tips for finding the love of his life!
3. He’s a North Carolina native
The Bachelorettes have a lot in store next season! James is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina which means we’re expecting loads of chivalry from this Southern gentleman!
4. He’s a real estate broker in New York City
According to James’ LinkedIn (yes–I looked him up), he’s a Real Estate Associate at The CRBE Group, Inc. CRBE is an American commercial real estate service and investment firm. The abbreviation stands for Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis.
5. He’s the founder of ABC Food Tours alongside BFF, Tyler Cameron
When James isn’t helping clients find their perfect properties, or looking for love, he’s managing a food touring company in New York City.
“ABC Food Tours is a food touring company that leads students on both food/fitness tours through NYC stopping at restaurants native to the area to taste their signature dishes and learn about their history.”- Matt James on LinkedIn
What an awesome way to give back!
6. He uses his platform for social causes
It’s one thing to be a social media influencer, but it’s another to actually use your platform to spread light on special causes. Matt is not afraid to speak on issues close to his heart. In a recent Instagram post, he and Tyler took to the streets of Miami Florida to stand in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement.
7. He’s a former wide receiver for Wake Forest Deamon Deacons
When it comes to making the perfect catch, the Bach doesn’t need much practice! During his time at Wake Forest University located in North Carolina, Matt was a wide receiver on the football team! When he wasn’t on the field, he was tending to his studies as an economics major. We see you student-athlete!
8. He already has a special lady in his life…
His MOM! Matt has no problem professing his love for his mom, Patty James. The mother and son duo can be seen in many pictures sharing warm hugs and spending lots of precious time together. Awww! We’re sure we’ll be seeing Patty on the show!
9. He lives a VERY active lifestyle
He plays sports, skateboards, surfs, jumps out of airplanes–the list can go on and on! It’s clear that Matt lives an extremely active lifestyle, which means that we’ll possibly see some adventurous dates take place on The Bachelor!
10. He has a great sense of humor
We’ll just let these posts speak for themselves LOL!
It seems like Matt is the total package!
“He has strong family values, a great career, and over the past few months, he has used his growing platform for good.”- ABC
On that note, we can’t wait to tune in!
