The Bachelor (season 21)
The 21st season of The Bachelor premiered on January 2, 2017. This season features 36-year-old Nick Viall, a software sales executive from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who later resided in Chicago, Illinois.
Viall attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration. Viall was the runner-up on both the 10th and 11th seasons of The Bachelorette featuring Andi Dorfman and Kaitlyn Bristowe, respectively. He also made it to the final episode on the 3rd season of Bachelor in Paradise along with Bachelor alumna Jennifer Saviano.
The season concluded on March 13, 2017, 29-year-old special education teacher Vanessa Grimaldi from Montreal, Quebec was named the winner and became Viall's fiancée, becoming the first Canadian contestant to win the show. Their engagement ended on August 25, 2017.
Filming and development
Casting and contestants
On August 30, 2016, during season 2 episode 4 of and while the 3rd season of Bachelor in Paradise was still airing, Nick Viall was announced as the next Bachelor. Prior to Viall's selection in the series, fan favorites Luke Pell and Chase McNary, both from The Bachelorette season 12 were considered for the lead role on the show, according to host Chris Harrison. Pell and McNary would go on to compete in The Bachelor Winter Games and season six of Bachelor in Paradise, respectively.Production
The season traveled to many places including Viall's home state of Wisconsin; New Orleans, Louisiana; Saint Thomas in United States Virgin Islands; Bimini, the Bahamas and Finnish Lapland. Numerous media outlets reported Backstreet Boys have performed at Honda Stage at the iHeartRadio Theater in Downtown Los Angeles on September 30, 2016 with former contestants Ashley Iaconetti and Becca Tilley. Besides Backstreet Boys, this season also had appearances include Olympians Michelle Carter, Allyson Felix and Carl Lewis, country singer Chris Lane and Lolo.Originally, production was set to travel to Charleston, South Carolina instead of Wisconsin, but producers changed the destination when Hurricane Matthew hit South Carolina. Host Chris Harrison stated that the trip was to be headed to Kiawah Island. South Carolina would later be visited in the thirteenth season of The Bachelorette.
Contestants
The season began with 30 contestants.| Name | Age | Hometown | Occupation | Outcome | Place | Ref |
| Vanessa Grimaldi | 29 | Montreal, Quebec | Special Education Teacher | Winner | 1 | |
| Raven Gates | 25 | Hoxie, Arkansas | Fashion Boutique Owner | Runner-Up | 2 | |
| Rachel Lindsay | 31 | Dallas, Texas | Attorney | Week 9 | 3 | |
| Corinne Olympios | 24 | Miami, Florida | Business Owner | Week 8 | 4 | |
| Kristina Schulman | 24 | Lexington, Kentucky | Dental Hygienist | Week 7 | 5 | |
| Danielle Maltby | 31 | Colgate, Wisconsin | Neonatal Nurse | Week 7 | 6 | |
| Danielle Lombard | 27 | Danville, California | Small Business Owner | Week 6 | 7 | |
| Whitney Fransway | 25 | Chanhassen, Minnesota | Pilates Instructor | Week 6 | 8 | |
| Jasmine Goode | 29 | Maplewood, New Jersey | Pro Basketball Dancer | Week 6 | 9 | |
| Jaimi King | 28 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Chef | Week 5 | 10–12 | |
| Josephine Tutman | 24 | Santa Cruz, California | Registered Nurse | Week 5 | 10–12 | |
| Alexis Waters | 23 | Secaucus, New Jersey | Aspiring Dolphin Trainer | Week 5 | 10–12 | |
| Taylor Nolan | 23 | Seattle, Washington | Mental Health Counselor | Week 5 | 13 | |
| Astrid Loch | 26 | Tampa, Florida | Plastic Surgery Office Manager | Week 4 | 14–15 | |
| Sarah Vendal | 26 | Palmdale, California | Grade School Teacher | Week 4 | 14–15 | |
| Brittany Farrar | 26 | Santa Monica, California | Travel Nurse | Week 3 | 16–17 | |
| Christen Whitney | 25 | Martinsville, Indiana | Wedding Videographer | Week 3 | 16–17 | |
| Dominique Alexis | 25 | Los Angeles, California | Restaurant Server | Week 3 | 18 | |
| Lacey Mark | 25 | Montville Township, New Jersey | Digital Marketing Manager | Week 2 | 19–21 | |
| Hailey Merkt | 23 | Vancouver, British Columbia | Photographer | Week 2 | 19–21 | |
| Elizabeth Whitelaw | 24 | New Trier, Illinois | Marketing Manager | Week 2 | 19–21 | |
| Elizabeth "Liz" Sandoz | 29 | Scottsbluff, Nebraska | Doula | Week 2 | 22 | |
| Angela Amezcua | 26 | Cumberland, Maryland | Model | Week 1 | 23–30 | |
| Jasmine Brown | 25 | Tacoma, Washington | Flight Attendant | Week 1 | 23–30 | |
| Olivia Burnette | 25 | Anchorage, Alaska | Apparel Sales Representative | Week 1 | 23–30 | |
| Ida Marie DeLosSantos | 23 | Harlingen, Texas | Sales Manager | Week 1 | 23–30 | |
| Briana Guertler | 28 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Surgical Unit Nurse | Week 1 | 23–30 | |
| Lauren Hussey | 30 | Naples, Florida | Law School Graduate | Week 1 | 23–30 | |
| Susannah Milan | 26 | San Diego, California | Account Manager | Week 1 | 23–30 | |
| Michelle Ramkissoon | 24 | Los Angeles, California | Food Truck Owner | Week 1 | 23–30 |
Future appearances
The Bachelorette
was chosen as the bachelorette for the thirteenth season of The Bachelorette while this season of the show was still airing, becoming the first African American lead cast member of the franchise's history.Bachelor in Paradise
Season 4Raven Gates, Corinne Olympios, Taylor Nolan, Alexis Waters, Lacey Mark, Kristina Schulman, Danielle Maltby, Danielle Lombard, Christen Whitney, Sarah Vendal, Dominique Alexis, Jaimi King, and Jasmine Goode, returned for season four of Bachelor in Paradise. Olympios quit during week 1 after the production shutdown. Mark had originally quit during week 1 but returned following the shutdown. Maltby quit during week 2, and Schulman in week 3. Waters and Vendal were eliminated during week 2, and Alexis during week 4. During week 4, Lombard split from her partner, Dean Unglert, Whitney split from her partner, Jack Stone, King split from her partner, Diggy Moreland, and Goode split from her partner, Jonathan Treece. Gates, Nolan, and Mark all left Paradise in relationships with Adam Gottschalk, Derek Peth, and Daniel Maguire, respectively. It was announced on the reunion show, however, that Mark and Maguire had ended their relationship. Meanwhile, Gates and Gottschalk were still dating while Nolan and Peth became engaged. As of June 26, 2018, Nolan and Peth had called off their engagement and ended their relationship.
Season 5
Whitney, Astrid Loch and Angela Amezcua returned for season five of Bachelor in Paradise. Amezcua and Whitney were eliminated during week 4. Loch split from her partner, Kevin Wendt, during week six. It was announced on the reunion show, however, that they had rekindled their relationship after leaving Paradise.
Season 6
Amezuca and Schulman returned for season six of Bachelor in Paradise, along with Whitney Fransway. Schulman and Fransway quit during week 5. Amezcua split from her partner, Chase McNary, in week 6.