Is this The Mole or The Bachelor? ABC has released the identities of 24 of the 25 women who will be competing for the heart of NFL New York Giants quarterback Jesse Palmer when The Bachelor premieres April 7 as well as details of several new show elements -- chief among them the introduction of a secret 25th "spy" bachelorette who is actually working for Jesse.
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Premiering from 8-10PM ET/PT on Wednesday, April 7, the fifth edition of the long-running reality romance series will be different right from the start, as unbeknownst to the women, one of the 25 women living in the bachelorette house will actually be a mole who has been secretly entrusted to give Jesse the lowdown on the behind-the-scenes competition for his heart. The program will reveal the mole's identity to viewers in its second episode, but since ABC released the identities of the other 24 contestants today (see below), sharp-eyed Reality TV World readers should be able to determine the identity of the spy by the time the premiere's initial introductions are over.
The premiere will also offer a new "first impression" rose, extended the woman who has made the best first impression on Jesse. Additionally, ABC says the very first rose ceremony will take "a startling turn" when Jesse makes "a terrible mistake."
Following the premiere, the 25-year-old Jesse will get to know twenty-five women via the established series of social gatherings and exotic, romantic dates -- in groups with some, and individually with others. As in past seasons, he will introduce some of the women to his closest friends and family, and will visit their hometowns and meet their parents in an effort to determine the most desirable and compatible prospect.
The fifth Bachelor edition will also follow the established gradual process of elimination, as Jesse narrows the field of women from twenty-five to fifteen on the season premiere, presenting each of his choices with a single red rose. Jesse then closes the gap to 10, six, four, three, two and, ultimately, the one woman who captures his heart. As always, if at any point along the way any of the women decide that they are no longer interested in Jesse, they may reject his invitation to continue dating.
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Jesse Palmer was drafted by the Giants in 2001 and became the team's top back-up quarterback last season. Jesse ranks fourth on the University of Florida Gators' all-time list with a 133.14 passing efficiency rating and was named to the Southeastern Conference's Academic Honor Roll for the third straight year in 2000.
Born Jesse James Palmer on Oct. 5, 1978, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Jesse is the son of Susan and Bill Palmer. His father was a former Canadian Football League star with the Ottawa Rough Riders, and his brother, Billy, is a tight end at Notre Dame.
The names of the 24 "real" women that Jesse will meet during the premiere are:
• Amber, age 27, a consultant, originally from Sunriver, OR, who currently resides in San Francisco, CA
• Anne-Catherine, age 27, a stylist, originally from Quebec City, Canada, who currently resides in Beauport, Quebec, Canada
• Celeste, age 24, a production associate, originally from Ithaca, NY, who currently resides in Los Angeles
• Debbie, age 27, a massage therapist and nursing student, originally from Pinetops, NC, who currently resides in Kennesaw, GA
• DeShaun, age 25, account manager, originally from Cincinnati, OH, who currently resides in Dublin, OH
• Dolores, age 27, a sales manager, originally from Phillipsburg, NJ, who now resides in Sherman Oaks, CA
• Francine, age 25, a retail manager, who currently resides in her hometown of Houston, TX
• Holly, age 26, a banker, originally from Tulsa, OK, who currently resides in Edmond, OK
• Jean Marie, age 26, a hair stylist, originally from Gibson, NC, who currently resides in Virginia Beach, VA
• Jenny M., age 24, a professional inline skater, who currently resides in her hometown of Canton, MI
• Jessica B., age 22, a law student, who currently resides in her hometown of Huntington Beach, CA
• Jessica H., age 25, an attorney, originally from Pearsale, TX, who currently resides in San Antonio, TX
• Jessica K., age 21, a student, originally from Cincinnati, OH, who currently resides in Winter Park, FL
• Julie, age 24, a NFL cheerleader, who currently resides in her hometown of Sacramento, CA
• Karen Lindsay, age 28, a pharmaceutical salesperson, originally from Pleasant Grove, UT, who currently resides in Providence, RI
• Katie, age 22, a LASIK eye consultant, originally from Scottsdale, AZ, who currently resides in Cornelius, NC
• Kristin K., age 23, a medical student, who currently resides in her hometown of Dearborn, MI
• Kristin N., age 25, a waitress, who currently resides in her hometown of Sausalito, CA
• Mandy C., age 25, a professional soccer player, who currently resides in her hometown of San Diego,CA
• Mandy J., age 26, a interior designer, originally from Midland, TX, who currently resides in Austin, TX
• Rachel, age 27, a fashion marketer, originally from Buffalo, NY, who currently resides in New York, NY
• Tara, age 23, a general contractor, originally from Shawnee, OK, who currently resides in Norman, OK
• Trish Schneider, age 28, a model, originally from Atlanta, GA, who currently resides in Pompano Beach, FL
• Suzie, age 23, a prosthetic technician, originally from Dearborn, MI, who currently resides in Warren, MI
Once again, Chris Harrison will guide the romantic journey, serving as friend and confidant, as Jesse and the women learn more about each other. Having guided the last four Bachelors, as well as Bachelorettes Trista Rehn and Meredith Phillips, Harrison is in a unique position to offer sound advice during this process.
The Bachelor is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Telepictures Productions. Mike Fleiss (High School Reunion) is executive producer. Lisa Levenson, Scott Jeffress and Jason Carbone are co-executive producers.