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The Bachelor returned with its 29th season on January 27, 2025, airing at 8 pm ET on ABC. The show featured Grant Ellis, a 31-year-old day trader, seeking a lifelong partner among 25 contestants. A sneak peek shared by People magazine on the same day revealed a moment during the premiere when a mystery woman arrived at the mansion, causing tension among all the other contestants.
Rose, one of the contestants, reacted by saying:
“I cannot compare to this woman.”
The scene took place during the initial introductions as contestants were taking turns speaking with Grant in The Bachelor premiere. The mystery woman entered the mansion late, bypassing the group and walking directly to Grant, who was having a one-on-one conversation with Dina.
Her presence prompted questions among the other contestants about her identity and purpose.
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The mystery woman makes an entrance in The Bachelor
The contestants were caught off guard when a mystery woman entered the mansion in The Bachelor. While the group waited for their turn to speak with Grant and interacted with one another, the new arrival drew attention.
Questions about her identity and purpose started as she walked past the group without acknowledging their greetings.
Natalie, one of the contestants, shared her thoughts with the cameras, asking:
"Who is this person? Why are you here? She means business. She's here for a reason."
The mystery woman went directly to a patio where Grant was speaking with Dina. She interrupted their conversation with a brief “Hey” and asked to speak with him, leaving Dina to step away.
Grant reacted with surprise, saying, “Holy s**t!” as he agreed to talk with her. One contestant reacted by saying:
“Are you kidding me?”
From a distance, the other women observed the interaction and began speculating about the woman’s connection to Grant. Some commented on her appearance, while others wondered whether she had a prior relationship with him.
The Bachelor premiere episode highlights
The premiere episode of The Bachelor began with Grant introducing himself:
"I’m Grant, I’m 30, I live in Houston, Texas, and I’m your next Bachelor," he said while dancing to Salt-N-Pepa’s "Whatta Man," he shared.
After the limo entrances, Grant spent time talking to the contestants, sharing moments to get to know them better. Rose had an interaction with Grant, where they created a blindfolded craft together. The evening also included some kissing moments, which Grant later said were unplanned.
“It’s not like you could make a plan for it, it just happens,” he shared.
The first impression rose went to Alexe after they connected over their sense of humor and conversation. Grant explained that the decision came from a combination of factors from their time together.
Along with the rose, Alexe also secured the first one-on-one date of the season.
“There was something about that first night that from the llama to our sense of humor. it was a combination of things that made me give out that rose,” he said.
By the end of the night, seven contestants were sent home, leaving 18 women still in the running. Grant admitted that making decisions about who to send home was difficult, explaining that he sometimes struggles when it comes to "matters of the heart."
As the season continues, Grant will face more challenges as he builds connections with the remaining contestants.
New episodes of The Bachelor air every Monday at 8 pm ET on ABC.
