Jillian Harris Will Be the Next Bachelorette

Jason Mesnick Eliminated Her, but She Will Now Meet 25 Single Men

Mar 4, 2009

Jillian Harris finished third in the 13th season of ABC's hit reality show The Bachelor, but her luck may be changing. She will be the star as the fifth Bachelorette.

The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have a tradition of choosing one of the runner-up contestants to become the lead in the next series. This year is no difference, as Jillian Harris will be the next Bachelorette. She made the final three on the 13th season of The Bachelor, but will continue her search for love and companionship this May.

Who Is Jillian Harris?

Jillian is a 29 year-old interior designer who lives in the town of Peace River, Alberta, Canada. She is close to her fun-filled family, particularly her grandmother who she refers to as one of her best friends. She is strong, independent, and wants the person she marries to also be her best friend.

From the beginning, Jillian became a fan favorite. She seemed to have a quick connection to Bachelor Jason Mesnick, and the chemistry began to develop alongside it. Jillian started strong with the “hot dog test” to decide what kind of man Jason was based on the condiments he used. Jason went to Canada to meet Jillian’s family and took her to New Zealand for fantasy dates. Fans were stunned when she was eliminated in the second-to-last episode, leaving Molly and Melissa to vie for Jason’s affections.

Appearing on The Bachelor has given Jillian a sense of what not to do and created some new worries. "I guess the only thing I fear is that I hope I make the right choice the first time. The only other fear that I have is that I do not need my dad to see any more hot tub scenes. I have not lived that one down." She was referring to her steamy time in a New Zealand with Jason, shortly before she was eliminated on the show.

One Being the Next Bachelorette

Though it seems unlikely to find a match on a reality television show, Jillian is optimistic about her opportunity. When host Chris Harrison announced she would be the next Bachelorette, she commented that "It's one of those things that, you have to be realistic, it's a very unorthodox way to find love. But we are living in a world where people do things differently and there's Internet dating and there's blind dating, but there's something really magical about ABC finding girls like us that were great for Jason and allowing us to get to know each other so quickly."

The Bachelorette will begin airing May 18, 2009 on ABC. Stay tuned for more updates, cast profiles, and gossip on the show.

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