Mike Johnson ‘In the Mix’ for Next ‘Bachelor’ Star, Chris Harrison Says

ABC may have found its next Bachelor star, and it’s pretty major. After casting Rachel Lindsay as the first black Bachelorette in 2017, the network may have picked a black contestant as its next big star.

Mike Johnson, eliminated from Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette, is rumored to be in talks to be the next Bachelor, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Johnson was a fan-favorite early on. The 31-year-old is an Air Force veteran and portfolio manager from San Antonio, Texas. He was cut from the show in Week 7, much to the disappointment of viewers, but it looks like he may be returning to TV screens soon.

Host Chris Harrison told The Hollywood Reporter during the Men Tell All special Johnson is “definitely in the mix” as far as casting for Season 24 of The Bachelor.

“Everyone’s excited about Mike here tonight,” Harrison said at the taping. “I love him. The smile, the charm, the sincerity, the maturity. He’s a great man and I feel like he’s a dear friend of mine already, so he’s a great candidate and he’s definitely going to be in the mix.”

Harrison continued, “I know that, having been doing this a while, when we get to After the Final Rose and have two nights of that, people are going to be clamoring for those guys as well. So we have to let the dust settle a little bit and then go back to the board and debate this whole thing.”

For his part, Johnson is ready to step into the role of The Bachelor. He told The Hollywood Reporter it’s “100 percent time to have a black Bachelor.” Johnson noted that not only would he be the first black Bachelor, but he has another first going for him.

“They’ve never had a Bachelor that’s a veteran either, so I think that it’s time to have a veteran that served the country as well,” he said.

Johnson continued, “I’m super grateful that it’s even in the conversation, but most importantly, I would want to have a conversation about the contestants being there for the right reasons. That’s something that I hold near and dear to my heart. In this process, love is 100 percent possible. We have proof that love has happened and love can happen, and that’s what I have to say about that.”

No decision has been made at this time, as The Bachelor isn’t set to premiere for some time. The current season of The Bachelorette hasn’t yet ended, though it’s close, and Bachelor In Paradise has yet to air. There’s a chance ABC could snag someone from Bachelor In Paradise, as they did with previous stars Nick Viall and Colton Underwood.

It’s unclear if Johnson will appear on Bachelor In Paradise, but it’s possible.

The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.