Joey Graziadei revealed the advice he has for Grant Ellis during an exclusive interview with Life & Style after he was named the lead of season 29 of The Bachelor.
“Just be yourself … It's just a very different situation,” Joey, 29, told Life & Style about what he would tell Grant, 30, during the Tuesday, October 8, taping of Dancing With the Stars. “You can [be] put in a lot of different spots that can sometimes feel uncomfortable. And the most important thing is just to be yourself.”
Joey added that he’s “gotten a chance to get to know Grant a little bit” and predicted “he's going to be great.” He continued, “As long as he just kind of listens to his heart, he's going to do amazing.”
The reality star – who served as the leading man on season 28 of The Bachelor – also reflected on what he wished he would have known going into his own experience on the show.
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“I actually wasn't the smartest when I went on the show. I decided not to talk to a lot of past Bachelors because I said I want to do my own thing and kind of just go with my own mentality,” Joey explained. “And I talked to a lot of them and told them that I made a mistake with that because what I would have loved to know is just a little bit more about what their experience was like.”
He added, “You always have your own, but it's just great to know what they felt [and] what they went through so you can kind of have those ideas when you're going through a similar situation.”
“It's just good to talk to people,” Joey concluded.
Grant made his reality TV debut during season 21 of The Bachelorette. After Jenn Tran sent him home ahead of the hometown dates episode in August, he was announced as the show’s next lead.
“As the Bachelor, Ellis is eager to embark on a journey filled with romance, adventure and genuine connections,” a press release from ABC said at the time. “He hopes to find a partner who shares his values of loyalty, humor and a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.”
Joey shared his advice for Grant two weeks after Jenn, 26, revealed what she would tell Grant during an exclusive interview with Life & Style. “Pick wisely, honey,” she said during the September 24 taping of Dancing With the Stars.
Similar to Joey, Jenn also predicted that Grant will be a great Bachelor. “He was so open hearted and he was so vulnerable and so ready to be in love that I have no doubts he’s going to do the same on his season,” she said. “So my advice is to keep going into it with an open heart and I know he’s going to do that and that’s why I’m so excited to see him succeed.”
Jenn ended her season engaged to Devin Strader, though the pair confirmed their split during the After the Final Rose special. Meanwhile, Joey is still going strong with his fiancée, Kelsey Anderson, whom he met and got engaged to on his season.
