Scottsdale’s Arie Luyendyk Jr. is new ‘Bachelor’
After a summer of speculation, ABC has announced that the next “Bachelor” is Scottsdale native and race car driver Arie Luyendyk Jr.
Luyendyk, 35, competed in Emily Maynard’s season of “The Bachelorette” and earned the nickname “Kissing Bandit” for his frequent make-out sessions with her. He made it to the top two but was ultimately left brokenhearted in the 2012 season finale.
Appearing on “Good Morning America” Sept. 7, a salt-and-pepper-haired Luyendyk told host Michael Strahan that it’s his time to settle down and find love.
“I’ll be 36 in a few weeks, so, for me, it’s time,” he told Strahan. “...All my friends around me have kids and have grown up, so, for me, I feel like I’m the last one of my friends to really take that step.”
Luyendyk said he was at home recently when he received the phone call from production asking him to be the 22nd leading man in the long-running reality TV series. For months, recent fan favorites Peter Kraus, Dean Ulgert and Wells Adams dominated “Bachelor” guesses on social media.
“We’ve kept in touch over the last few years but this just fit perfect. The timing of this really fit for me,” he said. “I was a little skeptical just because we’d been in talks for a few years about doing it. And so I just kinda went in with an open mind, open heart.”
The upcoming season is set to air on ABC beginning in January.
Luyendyk joked that his past as a race car driver will help him make quick decisions. And he’ll need it; each season begins with dozens of women vying for the suitor’s attention (and screen time).
Luyendyk was born in the Netherlands but spent the majority of his racing career in the United States. He competed for eight seasons from 2002 and 2010 in the Indy Lights Series and competed in the 2006 Indy 500, finishing 28th. He now works as a real-estate broker in the Valley.
His father, Arie Luyendyk, is a twotime Indy 500 champion who was kept in the dark about his son’s new television pursuit before Thursday.
“I kind of kept things really under wraps just because I didn’t know how this would turn out,” he said. “It’s been such a quick turn of events and my family doesn’t know. So, now, they know along with you guys.”
Luyendyk told Strahan that he’s he’s looking for an “independent, strong but then still gentle” woman to win his heart.
As for his “kissing bandit” past, Luyendyk said he’s down for a make-out session “with the right woman.”
“Obviously, there’s got to be that chemistry there. Emily and I had it previously and I’m hoping to find that type of love,” he said.
Thursday’s unveiling was met with mixed reactions on Twitter as “Bachelor” fans expressed confusion and disappointment on the throwback choice.
Others are looking forward to Luyendyk’s upcoming season.
“Bachelor” host Chris Harrison and
didn’t know how this would turn out.”
creator Mike Fleiss offered their wellwishes and welcomed back the the 35year-old before he enters his “journey” for love. Fleiss remarked that Luyendyk has had “by far the most positive reaction” the series has had in announcing a new suitor.