Joelle "JoJo" Fletcher is The Bachelorette's twelfth-season star.

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The 25-year-old real estate developer from Dallas, TX, was announced as the next Bachelorette during After the Final Rose, which followed the finale of Ben Higgins' The Bachelor season in which she finished as the runner-up behind winner Lauren Bushnell.

Fletcher was especially crushed because Higgins had told her he was in love with her repeatedly during the show's final weeks.

"She is a woman whom the entire country fell in love with, and I know you're all hoping she'll be able to fall in love again. So, I would like to please welcome our new Bachelorette..." host Chris Harrison began as he gestured to the opposite side of the stage from where Fletcher was standing as to fake the audience out.

"JoJo!" Harrison revealed.

"It's overwhelming!" Fletcher said with a huge smile on her face as she sat next to Harrison and Higgins onstage. "Thank you! Oh my gosh, this is crazy."

"You ARE the Bachelorette," Harrison reiterated.

"It's so weird!" she gushed. "It's crazy... I mean, guys, I am so excited."

"You're going to be phenomenal. A good choice?" Harrison asked Higgins.

"Great choice," Higgins answered, before elaborating how deserving Fletcher is of the role. "I'm very excited for her. She's going to be great."

According to reports that had emerged last week, third-place finisher Caila Quinn, a 24-year-old in software sales from Hudson, OH, had originally been selected as The Bachelorette's twelfth-season star and been publicly spotted filming intro package footage in her hometown.  However, ABC reportedly had Quinn and Fletcher both film potential footage and made a "last minute" change to Fletcher.

"With her family's support, an open heart and a new perspective on the possibilities of finding true love, JoJo will embark on finding her 'unicorn' -- her once-in-a-lifetime love," ABC said in a statement.

"Will she face the unpredictable heartache of falling in love with more than one man? All she is sure of is that she found love once with Ben on The Bachelor and feels sure that this second time will be her charm, and wants everyone to come along for the ride."

Fletcher enjoys traveling, sports, country music and playing with her dog Jackson. Growing up the daughter of two doctors, she attended Baylor University and received her bachelors degree in Medical Humanities to follow in their footsteps.

However, shortly after graduation, Fletcher discovered her true passion was real estate development. Five years later, she runs a thriving business of her own, building homes from the ground up and renting to students in the Waco area.

The Bachelorette is set to premiere Monday, May 23 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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