The beginning of a new year means the beginning of a new bachelor’s journey. This time, it's Joey Graziardi's turn to find love. "I feel like my story isn't complete on 'The Bachelorette'... I just feel like I'm ready for this whole opportunity and trying to be ready to hit the ground running," Joey said of his season .
The 28-year-old tennis coach feels ready, which is good because his Bachelor experience is starting so quickly.
The Bachelor filmed Joey's fall season just months before it premiered on January 22. This timeline is typical of the series, But several factors make this year's schedule busier than in previous years.
Joey finds out he's going to be a bachelor
As Bachelorette fans will remember, Joey actually discovered the show while attending Gerry Turner's pickleball group date.
Trista Sutter shared the news in a deleted scene, asking Joey if he would be the next Bachelor. "Of course I do," he said with a smile. He later told Extra he was "shocked but not shocked" by the decision "because it had been discussed beforehand". (Members of Bachelor Nation also correctly predicted Joey's fate.)
Since "The Bachelor" was filmed in August and the pickleball dates happened about halfway through Gerry's season, it appears Joey's Bachelor journey officially began in mid-August.
Meet his first contestant
On August 21, during Charity Lawson's After the Final Rose special, Joey was announced as the next Bachelor. He also meets the season's first contestant, Lea Cayanan, who receives a mysterious card that can only be opened after arriving at the Bachelor Mansion.
Shooting begins
Speaking of first night: The season of Joey's Bachelor begins filming on September 19, Reality Steve reports. Jesse Palmer shared a photo from the Bachelor mansion on October 2, confirming that production has begun in early fall.
The last rose goes...
Don’t worry, there are no spoilers! (There's a lot more, though, if you want to take a peek.) All you need to know is that Joey's season is reportedly set for a hometown game in late October, according to Reality Steve. According to the blogger, the final rose ceremony was held on November 12. That means Joey's season lasts about eight weeks.
It also means Joey is one of the few people in Bachelor Nation who isn't watching The Bachelor live because he's busy filming his own love story! Luckily, if Reality Steve's timeline is correct, Joey has just enough time to get home and catch up on the season before the finale - and finally attend the golden wedding .
