Former NFL quarterback and Bachelor himself, Jesse Palmer is taking on his newest gig as host of season 26 of The Bachelor.

The news comes as a surprise to Bachelor Nation months after Chris Harrison‘s departure from the franchise, with Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams taking over the most recent seasons of The Bachelorette.

The Bachelor alum made the announcement on Instagram yesterday, posing right in front of the iconic mansion to mark his return back onto the show in his newest role. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be home with my @bachelorabc family!” Palmer said. “Word on the street is it’s pretty AMAZING around here! 🌹🥂.”

Palmer is best known for is position in the NFL playing with the New York Giants and San Fransisco  49ers. He was soon cast as The Bachelor for season 5 of the show back in 2004.

Since then, he’s gone on to work very close in hand with ABC and The Walt Disney Company, serving as an ESPN analyst and contributor to Good Morning America. He’s hopped into the world of hosting a series of shows, such as DailyMail TV and Holiday Baking Championship on Food Network. He was also the leading man in the previously aired show The Proposal, created by the team behind The Bachelor franchise.

In addition to his exciting return to the series, the former NFL star also tied the knot with model Emely Fardo in secret ceremony back in June. The two made the announcement in a PEOPLE exclusive interview released yesterday.

Are you excited for The Bachelor‘s new host? Let us know by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.

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