Dean Unglert won the hearts of many fans on The Bachelorette with his sweet smile and emotional backstory, but as of right now, he's not campaigning to become the next The Bachelor star.
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After The Bachelorette viewers watched Rachel Lindsay send Dean packing after his hometown date on Monday night's episode, ABC officially announced Dean will be appearing on Bachelor in Paradise's fourth season this summer.
But if Dean also walked out of Mexico without a lasting love connection -- as Bachelor in Paradise recently wrapped filming -- would he consider starring on The Bachelor's upcoming 22nd season?
"I just don't think I'm ready for it," Dean, a 26-year-old startup recruiter from Venice, CA, told E! News. "I just think that from an emotional standpoint I need to figure out a lot more about myself before I'm ready to dive in and be the lead of anything."
During his stint on The Bachelorette, Dean faced family issues that have been plaguing him for years -- including being estranged from his "eccentric" father for years and attempting to understand why his immediate family fell apart and "abandoned" him at age 15 when his mother passed away from breast cancer.
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Dean was not able to fully resolve his family burdens during his hometown date with Rachel in Aspen, CO, but he has told multiple media outlets this week that the gathering was at least a step in the right direction.
"I don't want to say I have no interest in being the Bachelor," Dean told E! News.
"I just think I still have a lot of personal growth to do before I'm ready for something like that... Going to Paradise was perfect for me. It was much more relaxed and just a fun environment."
Rachel denied Dean a rose after the men's round of hometown dates on The Bachelorette because she believed they were in different places in their lives. Rachel desperately wants to settle down with a husband and start a family, so Dean's age was naturally a concern for the 32-year-old Dallas attorney.
Many fans are saying the reason why Rachel dumped Dean is the same reason why he wouldn't be ready to star as the Bachelor.
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"To be honest, I'm kind of flattered that the only reason people don't want me to be the next Bachelor is because I'm too young," Dean said with a smile.
"I will fully agree with them. I think I have a lot of emotional maturity and growth to go through before I'm ready for something like that. But if the only reason people can find for you not being the Bachelor is your age, I guess it's not the worst thing in the world."
Dean therefore said he's rooting for Peter Kraus to be The Bachelor star next year, "hands down," if it's possible.
"Peter Bachelor 2018!... I don't know if he's engaged or not. But I would gladly concede to Peter as next Bachelor," noted Dean, who became best friends with Peter while filming Season 13 of The Bachelorette.
"Obviously it's a tremendous honor for whoever ends up taking it. I think whether it's Peter, [Bryan Abasolo], [Eric Bigger] or someone from a past season, I think they're going to do an amazing job. But I still think I have a ways to go before I'm ready for something like that," Dean explained to E! News.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski