Jesse Palmer is in on the joke.
The Bachelor‘s 26th season premiere on Jan. 3 was a historic one, as it marked the first season without longtime host Chris Harrison. However, Palmer, a former Bachelor himself, seemed poised and prepared to take on the hosting gig for the ABC hit. In fact, during his introduction, Palmer seemingly poked fun at his predecessor by playfully calling out some of Harrison’s favorite phrases.
“The bachelor’s name is Clayton Echard and he is one of the most sincere men that has ever been on this show,” he said to The Bachelor camera. “And I’m ready to do all that I possibly can to help Clayton find his soulmate. Plus, I’ve also spent many hours practicing saying things like, ‘Amazing’ or ‘Incredible.’ Also, ‘Dramatic.’ So maybe, just maybe, I might be able to pull this off.”
While Palmer didn’t exactly name Harrison, the quip was certainly a subtle shout-out to the former host, as he loved to call each season “the most dramatic season ever.”