ABC announced Wednesday, Aug. 27, on "Good Morning America" that Chris Soules is the next star of the upcoming nineteenth season of the hit dating game show "The Bachelor," beating out fellow former "The Bachelorette" contestant Arie Luyendyk Jr. to become the network's next leading man.
"I was humbled, flattered, grateful," the 32-year-old hunky farmer from Iowa said during the reveal, according to TV Guide. "Coming from a small town, I never expected to have this opportunity to be on either show, let alone be the lead on 'The Bachelor.' So, it's been awesome."
Soules, who instantly became a fan-favorite on the most recent season of "The Bachelorette," is a family man and has no problem making fun of himself. He is also a hardcore romantic, as he loves to make handwritten love letters, including the ones he secretly sent Andi Dorfman in the last season of "The Bachelorette," E! News reported.
Meanwhile, Arie Luyendyk Jr., who was also one of the frontrunners to be the next bachelor, took to Twitter to thank his fans for their support even though he did not get the part.
"I'm not the Bachelor, have fun on the farm people," he tweeted.
"Thanks for the kind words everyone. It wasn't meant to be, and I'm okay with it. Happy I can move forward," he wrote in a follow-up post.
Luyendyk, 32, was a runner-up on Emily Maynard's "The Bachelorette" in 2012. Before ABC's official announcement, he had been rumored to star in the next season of "The Bachelor" with a source telling Us Weekly, "He already had his packages shot and they even got him a trainer so he could buff up and be camera ready with his shirt off."
When asked by TV Guide why ABC picked Soules over other contenders for the slot, host Chris Harrison said: "At the end of the day, Chris is everything the show is based on. He's that diamond in the rough from middle America who, more than ever, needs the show to find his wife. It reminds me of Aaron Buerge in Missouri. He needed the show to expand his horizons. So, it takes us back to where the show began."
"He's also sincere and I know he's looking for love," Harrison added of Soules. "If there was ever guy we'd say will walk away with someone, it's Chris. So, for those who are worried, you just haven't seen what you'll see during the show."
"The Bachelor" Season 19 is set to premiere in January 2015.