ABC Teases Twist for Grant Ellis' Bachelor Season: What to Know
The Bachelor season 29, starring The Bachelorette season 21’s fifth-place contestant, Grant Ellis, is slated to start off with a bang. Ahead of the first episode on January 27, 2025, ABC teased that viewers can expect a twist on night one, leaving fans curious about what will be different in the premiere.
ABC Teased a ‘Bold New’ Twist on Night 1 for Grant Ellis’ ‘Bachelor’ Season
The network revealed in a press release on January 7, 2025, that a change is coming in the premiere of Grant’s season.
“Love awaits 25 extraordinary women preparing to open their hearts to Grant Ellis on the season premiere of The Bachelor,” the first episode’s logline reads. “With a bold, new twist on the traditional first impression rose, making a strong connection has never been more crucial.”
The exact twist on the first impression rose has not been revealed as of publication.
What Is the First Impression Rose on ‘The Bachelor’?
The first impression rose was first introduced on The Bachelor in 2004 during now-host Jesse Palmer’s season. It was subsequently brought to The Bachelorette in 2008.
The rose is given out on the first night of the season by the season’s lead, and it is given to the person who makes the best first impression on the Bachelor or Bachelorette. The recipient — or recipients, as more than one person can receive a first impression rose on night one — is safe from elimination that week.
Many recipients of the first impression rose have gone on to win their seasons of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. DeAnna Pappas, who was the first Bachelorette to hand out the coveted rose, ended season 4 with rose recipient Jesse Csincsak, although they split in November 2008 ahead of their wedding. JoJo Fletcher gave the first impression rose to Jordan Rodgers on The Bachelorette season 12 and went on to marry him in May 2022.
Contestants on The Bachelorette have had more luck with winning the season after receiving the first impression rose than on The Bachelor. The only recipient on The Bachelor who went on to win the season was Hannah Ann Sluss in season 24, but she and Bachelor Peter Weber split soon after the season ended.
“First impression rose is basically a guarantee you won’t win on The Bachelor,” analyst Suzana Somers of Instagram account @bachelordata shared in January 2024. “The only woman who went on to win was Hannah Ann, and Peter ended that engagement shortly after filming. This is a big difference from Bachelorette where nearly 50% have won their season.”
Theories About the First Impression Rose Twist on Grant Ellis’ ‘Bachelor’ Season
Bustle speculated that the first impression rose twist on Grant’s season may improve upon the first week’s immunity by possibly expanding it for a few more weeks of guaranteed non-elimination. Alternatively, it could promise a one-on-one date for the recipient.
It wouldn’t be the first time that The Bachelor introduced a unique twist. During Joey Graziadei’s season, Lea Cayanan was given the opportunity to steal a date from another woman. However, she decided not to use the steal at all because she felt it would be unfair to her fellow contestants and make her a possible “target.” Her noble action led to her receiving Joey’s first impression rose.
Reality Steve shared his insight and reported on January 25, 2025, that he was told the first impression rose recipient was awarded the first 1-on-1 date of the season.