The Bachelor Season 29's Grant Ellis Forced To Pick A Winner Amid Producer Interference Accusations & Signs He's A Heartbreaker

The preview for The Bachelor season 29 teased host Jesse Palmer asking a conflicted Grant Ellis to make a decision between his final two women, and now Jesse sets the record straight about what really happened. Grant, a now-31-year-old day trader from Newark, New Jersey, was ecstatic to become the star of The Bachelor season 29 after Jenn Tran said goodbye to him during her Bachelorette season. This is because his mission in life is to become a husband and a father. However, the preview has raised questions about producer interference and Grant's perception as a heartbreaker.

In an interview with Us Weekly, Jesse explained what really happened during The Bachelor season 29 finale when Grant said that he didn't know which of his final two women he'd choose. The preview was shared via the Bachelor Nation YouTube channel. When addressing the preview's authenticity and whether the producers manipulated things to get people to tune in, Jesse insisted, "It’s real."

Jesse explained, "And I don’t know if you could tell from watching that from my reaction, [but] I was surprised. That was something that I haven’t encountered yet as the host in the last four years on any of the franchises. Normally, I think, our leads have a little bit more clarity—a lot more clarity—heading into the final day. And I really think that’s how conflicted Grant really was."

Jesse went on to say that it was Grant's "remarkable" contestants that made his decision so difficult. He stated, "They’re phenomenal every year for whoever our lead is [and] making that decision on the final day is always a very, very difficult decision, but I can appreciate some of why Grant was so conflicted. I’ll just say that. But absolutely, without giving away too much, that was authentic and it’s real and it’s not an edit."

Jesse added that, in the Bachelor season 29 preview, when he told Grant that both women were on standby, and he needed to know which to send first, he had to give Grant a nudge because production had to continue filming. He said, "It’s not something that I want to say or I should say. I mean, it’s sort of implied. Everybody gets it. But it got to the point during our conversation where it was so up in the air."

Jesse continued, "I mean, we had to get it going. He’s got to make a decision and we have to have an ending. And I’m sorry I did it and I said it that way and to break that fourth wall, but I had to say it to help him understand. I know Grant understood, but that’s kind of where it went. And that I think shows just kind of how real that was."

However, Jesse also revealed that Grant might be following in the footsteps of previous Bachelors Zach Shallcross (season 27) and Joey Graziadei (season 28), who are still engaged to Kaity Biggar and Kelsey Anderson, respectively. He shared, "I don’t want to speak on behalf of Grant, but I think he’s very, very happy with how things ended. I know he’s really excited for everybody to watch this whole thing unfold. Grant’s a very easy guy to root for."

Jesse concluded by saying, "I’m a fan of his and I know he’s a guy that’s been so successful in everything he’s done in his life outside of love [so far]. With Zach and Joey, we’re kind of running this streak a little bit and I think we have a chance to keep this thing going, fingers crossed."

It’s real. And I don’t know if you could tell from watching that from my reaction, [but] I was surprised. That was something that I haven’t encountered yet as the host in the last four years on any of the franchises. Normally, I think, our leads have a little bit more clarity — a lot more clarity — heading into the final day. And I really think that’s how conflicted Grant really was.

The [contestants are] phenomenal every year for whoever our lead is [and] making that decision on the final day is always a very, very difficult decision, but I can appreciate some of why Grant was so conflicted. I’ll just say that. But absolutely without giving away too much, that was authentic and it’s real and it’s not an edit.

It’s not something that I want to say or I should say. I mean, it’s sort of implied. Everybody gets it. But it got to the point during our conversation where it was so up in the air. I mean, we had to get it going. He’s got to make a decision and we have to have an ending. And I’m sorry I did it and I said it that way and to break that fourth wall, but I had to say it to help him understand. I know Grant understood, but that’s kind of where it went. And that I think shows just kind of how real that was.

I don’t want to speak on behalf of Grant, but I think he’s very, very happy with how things ended. I know he’s really excited for everybody to watch this whole thing unfold. Grant’s a very easy guy to root for. I’m a fan of his and I know he’s a guy that’s been so successful in everything he’s done in his life outside of love [so far]. With Zach and Joey, we’re kind of running this streak a little bit and I think we have a chance to keep this thing going, fingers crossed.

What Jesse Palmer Forcing Grant To Make A Decision Means For The Bachelor

The Timeline Of The Bachelor Can Be Detrimental To The Relationships

While it's understandable that the Bachelor producers needed an ending to the show, it's ridiculous that Grant was forced to choose between his final two women at that moment if he wasn't ready. This could mean that he made the decision under intense pressure, and that he might change his mind as former Bachelor leads Jason Mesnick and Arie Luyendyk Jr. did in the past when they broke off their engagements and eventually married their runners-up instead. Jesse even seems to regret the role that he played in it because he said that he was sorry that he did it.

By forcing Grant to make a choice in a specific timeframe, Jesse and the producers could've hurt his final relationship. Whether he's engaged or not, his final choice might not like the fact that he was so torn right before he either asked her to continue their relationship outside of the show or proposed to her. This could unfortunately lead to a breakup. This might paint Grant as a villain, but fans should remember that the true villains are the manipulative producers.

Our Take On Grant Ellis’ Inability To Pick One Woman During Finale

Grant Must Have Some Incredible Women

Unlike Joey, who was so in love with Kelsey Anderson that even runner-up Daisy Kent could see it and bowed out gracefully so that he could propose to Kelsey without having the burden of breaking up with her, Grant seems to be an indecisive Bachelor. As Jesse said, this isn't usually the norm. The hope was that the producers manipulated the preview footage to make it appear that Grant was torn, but now Jesse has revealed that it was all real.

To put a positive spin on the situation, Grant is most likely so confused at the end of The Bachelor season 29 because he has two amazing women from whom to choose. This is a good thing because it means that Grant's Bachelor journey was successful. However, it's also a problem because he had so much trouble choosing between them. Nonetheless, it's wonderful to hear that Jesse believes that Grant is happy with the outcome. Grant deserves to find the wife that he's been searching for during The Bachelor season 29.