NEW CANADIAN BACHELOR HAS EXPERIENCE PLAYING THE FIELD
Former baseball pro confesses he has been wary in the past of ‘taking that next step’
In his newest high-profile venture, former Major League Baseball pitcher Chris Leroux is hoping to catch, too. More specifically, the new star of The Bachelor Cana
da says he is hoping to land a wife. This is the third season of the homegrown version of the familiar U.S. series, in which a man dates multiple women, eliminating some each week until he ends up with a potential mate. It debuts Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. on W Network.
Of course, there’s an excellent chance that Leroux, a 33-year-old raised in Mississauga, is already engaged to one of the 20 women vying for his heart this season since episodes are filmed months before they air.
But Bachelors and Bachelorettes aren’t supposed to spill the beans about that, so we asked Leroux some other questions via email instead.
How did you become the new Bachelor? Did the producers seek you out? Did friends submit your name?
A good friend of mine called to say they were doing casting calls and I thought it was an interesting idea.
I definitely didn’t think they would pick me.
Have you watched Bachelor, Bachelorette or Bachelor in Paradise? If you have, what made you think this way of finding a partner would be good for you?
I’ve only watched a couple of episodes, but I liked the concept, so I was intrigued. I liked the fact that people were looking for love and ready to settle down for the most part. I didn’t really research beyond chatting with friends who had seen the show, and they were really positive and optimistic about me finding true love through it.
Have you done any TV before other than that one episode of Goose
bumps (when you were 10)?
I did a commercial when I was around 12.
A friend who was an actor encouraged me to audition with him and I ended up getting cast instead of him! But it was never something I was really interested in.
Have you reached out to Brad Smith (the first Canadian Bachelor) to ask for pointers?
I spoke with Kaitlyn Bristowe (a Canadian Bachelorette on the U.S. franchise).
She was really helpful and nice, and told me what to expect from the whole process.
Does it bother you that in two seasons of The Bachelor Canada and one of The Bachelorette Canada none of the couples have stayed together?
No, I’ve never been someone who compares myself to others. Those three not working out have no bearing on how it’s going to work out for me.
Relationships come to an end sometimes and in each of those cases the person did the right thing for themselves. You told ET Canada that it’s not hard for you to meet women — which I imagine goes with the territory when you’re a baseball player — but what has kept you from meeting the “right woman” up until now?
I have met a lot of people in my life but have been nervous about taking that next step. Now that I’m ready, the show has given me the opportunity to really focus and find the right person.
Without giving away any spoilers about what happens during the season, can you tell me what surprised you the most about making this show?
I am surprised by how long the days are.
It was hard for me to get used to the cameras and being around them all day. Eventually, I got used to it.
What were the best and worst parts of doing it?
A lot of my life I was scared of love, of settling down with somebody, but being a part of this show and being emotional has opened my eyes to how much I was missing in my life. I feel like I’m a better person because of the show.
The worst part is trying to be supportive and navigate the emotions of all 20 women while building meaningful connections at the same time. I also grew up in a family of all men, minus my mom, so being around that many women was a new thing for me.
You have said you’re bad at breakups. Did that get any easier as more and more women got sent home?
It actually becomes harder because the more time I spent with them, the more I developed real feelings for them.
Did your ideas about what you were looking for in a partner change while making the show?
Meeting so many different types of women on this show opened me up to dating outside what I usually go for. The core values that I want haven’t changed: I still love a woman who can make me laugh, with a pretty smile and a big heart.
How will you handle social media while the show airs? Bachelor fans are a passionate bunch and aren’t afraid to be vocal when they don’t like what they see on TV. Will you be reading the negative stuff?
Social media is new for me because I’m pretty private in general.
I don’t plan on reading the negative stuff, but I’m interested to see what viewers think.
What are a few things you’d like Canadians to know about you before they start watching you in October?
I love to joke around, family is important to me and I’m ready to settle down. Debra Yeo will be recapping The Bachelor Canada at thestar.com/television.