Emily’s Suitors Are Revealed… Who is the Mystery Man in the Helicopter?
What do an athletic stud who says all the right things, a dashing Indy car driver who would like to take a victory lap, a skateboarding hipster who likes a good chase, a successful businessman who loves to make a huge first impression, and a single hunky dad whom you’d like to bring home to mother all have in common? They’re all on the hunt for the new Bachelorette, Emily Maynard, when the eighth edition of the female version of ABC’s popular romance reality series, “The Bachelorette,” premieres MONDAY, MAY 14 (9:31-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
Emily, 26, a single mom who lives with her six-year-old daughter Ricki in Charlotte, North Carolina, meets 25 potential soul mates as she begins her own search for true love. In the premiere, “Episode 801,” 25 eligible men come from all over to try and win Emily’s heart. Immediately, the drama and the one-upsmanship begin: Emily is hit with a bad case of nerves, but that anxiety melts away as soon as the men start to compete to impress her. Tony makes like Prince Charming and presents her with a glass slipper. Jef, a successful entrepreneur, springs onto the scene on a skateboard. Party MC Stevie shows off his “can’t miss” dance moves. Travis offers a gift with a special meaning for Emily and her daughter. However Kalon is not to be outdone and lands in his private helicopter, much to the chagrin of the other men.
The battle for Emily’s attention and affection has only begun. Once inside the mansion, Kyle, a confident financial advisor, is eager to captivate Emily, but Brent, a single father of six, is busy showing off his voluminous collection of family photos. Chris, the handsome sales director, makes his mark with some custom bobble head dolls. But Arie, a professional race car driver, is nervous to share his career with Emily – fearing that it will remind her of her late fiancé, Ricky Hendrick. And Doug, another single dad, shares a tender moment with the Bachelorette, bringing with him a touching letter from his 11-year-old son.
After Chris Harrison reveals the first impression rose, the tension mounts and sparks fly. Stevie, the brash entertainer, confronts Kalon, the grandstanding wealthy suitor, accusing him of being selfish and insincere. Emily, unaware of the friction between the bachelors, is wooed away by the skateboarding Jef, who exudes a soft-spoken confidence that impresses her. Emily finally offers the first rose to a bachelor who was so charming that it would be hard for any of the men to argue with her choice.
One bachelor could relax, but 24 others are very anxious as the season’s first rose ceremony begins. Finally, Emily will have the 19 men who will move into the southern mansion.
Emily’s 25 suitors are:
Aaron, 36, a biology teacher from Long Beach, CA
Alessandro, 30, a grain merchant from St. Paul, MN
Alejandro, 25, a mushroom farmer from San Francisco, CA
Arie, 30, a race car driver from Scottsdale, AZ
Brent, 41, a technology salesman from Fresno, CA
Charlie, 32, a recruiter from Nashville, TN
Chris, 25, a corporate sales director from Chicago, IL
David, 33, a singer/songwriter from New York, NY
Doug, 33, a real estate agent from Seattle, WA
Jackson, 29, a fitness model from Lockport, IL
Jean-Paul, 35, a marine biologist from Seattle, WA
Jef, 27, an entrepreneur from Salt Lake City, UT
Joe, 27, a field energy advisor from Los Angeles, CA
John “Wolf,” 30, a data destruction specialist from St. Louis, MO
Kalon, 27, a luxury brand consultant from Houston, TX
Kyle, 29, a financial advisor from Long Beach, CA
Lerone, 29, a real estate consultant from Los Angeles, CA
Michael, 26, a rehab counselor from Austin, TX
Nate, 25, an accountant from Los Angeles, CA
Randy, 30, a marketing manager from Hermosa Beach, CA
Ryan, 31, a pro sports trainer from Augusta, GA
Sean, 28, an insurance agent from Dallas, TX
Stevie, 26, a party MC from Staten Island, NJ
Tony, 31, a lumber trader from Beaverton, OR
Travis, 30, an advertising sales representative from Madison, MS
Hosted by Chris Harrison, “The Bachelorette” is a production of Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss and Martin Hilton are executive producers. “The Bachelorette” is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with stereo sound.
This episode of “The Bachelorette” will be available on ABC.com the day after airing on the network for users to watch online. For more information on “The Bachelorette” please visit ABC.com.