Matt James Named the First Black ‘Bachelor’ for Season 25

The Bachelor has finally tapped its first Black lead. Today on Good Morning America, ABC announced that Matt James will serve as the franchise’s first Black Bachelor when the show returns for its 25th season in 2021. James was initially cast as a prospective suitor on Clare Crawley’s season of The Bachelorette, but ABC immediately fell in love with the 28-year-old real estate broker and opted to unveil him to Bachelor Nation sooner.

James’ casting was first announced on GMA on Friday. “My first reaction was, ‘Does this mean I don’t get to meet Clare?,’ because I was looking forward to meeting her,” he said of his initial reaction to being cast as The Bachelor. “I had set aside all this time and we’d gone out to California and been called back for quarantine. I’m super excited for her and her season but I’m looking forward to meeting her eventually.”

Crawley’s season of The Bachelorette was scheduled to begin shooting in March for a summer release, but production was shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Her season will now air this fall, while Season 25 of The Bachelor will debut on ABC next year.

In a press release, ABC describes James as “the total package.” The real estate broker, entrepreneur, and community organizer is originally from North Carolina and attended Wake Forest University, where he majored in economics. James also played wide receiver for the Demon Deacons and went on to play professional professional football before moving to New York City. In his new home, the 28-year-old created an organization aimed at engaging children from underserved communities in New York City and encouraging physical and mental wellness and new experiences.

James is only The Bachelor franchise’s second Black lead in its 18-year history, and the first Black male lead. In 2017, Texas attorney Rachel Lindsay made history when she was named the first-ever Black Bachelorette for Season 13. In recent weeks, Lindsay has been critical of the franchise’s lack of diversity, and while she applauded James’ casting on GMA this morning, she believes that there is still work to be done. “I need the acknowledgement of [racism], not putting a Band-Aid over the situation and just saying, ‘Here, we’re gonna put this here, are you happy now?'” she said.

“Matt has been on our radar since February, when producers first approached him to join Bachelor Nation, as part of Clare’s season,” said Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment in a statement. “When filming couldn’t move forward as planned, we were given the benefit of time to get to know Matt and all agreed he would make a perfect Bachelor. 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.”

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