ABC executive Rob Mills has explained why Grant Ellis was announced as The Bachelor star well before The Men Tell All and the finale of Jenn Tran's The Bachelorette season.

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After Jenn broke Grant's heart on The Bachelorette's 21st season during the show's August 12 episode, ABC immediately announced Grant will be starring on The Bachelor for Season 29 airing in 2025.

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The early announcement surprised many viewers considering Jenn still has four great bachelors -- Devin Strader, Jeremy Simon, Jonathon Johnson and Marcus Shoberg -- in the running for her heart, and so Rob took to social media on Monday night to explain The Bachelor producers' decision.

"We are announcing Grant so quickly so people can still apply to be on his season," Rob wrote via X, which was formerly called Twitter.

"If you think Grant is potentially the man of your dreams or you know someone who is apply ASAP!!!"

Grant, a 30-year-old day trader from Houston, TX, will be the second Black Bachelor of the franchise, following in Season 25 star Matt James' footsteps.

The Bachelor franchise has been criticized for years for lacking diversity in its casting, and multiple scandals have surrounded the show in recent years.

One of the most memorable controversies was when former The Bachelor host Chris Harrison defended The Bachelor 25 alum Rachael Kirkconnell after photos surfaced showing she had attended an antebellum plantation-themed "Old South" party during her college years.

Earlier this year, The Bachelor executive producer Bennett Graebner explained how the show has "a tremendous responsibility to have conversations on camera that are difficult and challenging," according to Us Weekly.

Bennett said those conversations, more specifically, need to be about race, class and gender.

Bennett added how producers have "made some mistakes" but The Bachelor franchise is "committed to discussing how race plays a role" on all of its spinoffs.

"We have done that. Have we always done it perfectly? No. We've certainly made some mistakes along the way. But moving forward, we're going to do everything in our power to correct this," Bennett noted.

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Jenn was shown rejecting Grant at the Rose Ceremony preceding hometown dates in Seattle, WA.

"I feel empty right now. Jenn is a great woman and I expressed my love for her. I po2ured everything out and it wasn't good enough," Grant lamented in his final words, fighting back tears.

"It just sucks knowing that you feel some way about somebody, and they don't feel the same about you."

Grant seemed to sincerely want to find a life partner on Jenn's season of The Bachelorette.

"I want a family, you know? I want to be happy. I want a wife. I want to be in love," Grant shared with The Bachelorette cameras.

"I want that, you know? I want to give everything to somebody, and I want them to give everything to me in return. I don't know what else to say. I did not think that was going to happen tonight."

ABC says the "adventurous" Grant captured hearts of Bachelor Nation "with his genuine desire to build a future centered around family."

Grant is a self-proclaimed "mama's boy," who has an "infectious smile and unwavering positivity," according to the network.

"[He] instantly brightens every room he enters," ABC wrote in a press release.

The former pro basketball player enjoys working in finance, cheering on the Lakers in the NBA, hitting strikes at the bowling alley, and singing karaoke at night.

"As the Bachelor, Ellis is eager to embark on a journey filled with romance, adventure, and genuine connections," ABC teased of his journey to come.

"He hopes to find a partner who shares his values of loyalty, humor and a deep appreciation for life's simple pleasures."

The Bachelor's 29th season is expected to begin filming this fall and premiere in January 2025.

The premiere date and cast of bachelorettes for Grant's The Bachelor season will be announced at a later date.

Grant will hopefully find his happily ever after on The Bachelor.

Last season, Joey Graziadei got engaged to Kelsey Anderson on The Bachelor's Season 28 finale, which aired in March on ABC, and the couple is still together and in love.

RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)

Click here to learn more about Grant, the new The Bachelor star.

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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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