Though theBachelorfranchise doesn’t usually cast celebrities, the superstar Olympic athlete Ilona Maher should beThe Bachelorette. She’s a fascinating person who’d bring drama and a charming personality to the unscripted dating show.The Bacheloretteseason 21 ended in catastrophe when Jenn Tran got dumped by Devin Strader soon after handing him her final rose. After that absolute disaster, Ilona’s fun, outgoing personality and witty sense of humor would bring some much-needed entertainment value to the series.
Thebronze-medal winning rugby player is no stranger to reality television. She was chosen to compete onDancing With The Starsseason 33, along with Joey Graziadei ofTheBachelorseason 28. Ilona and her professional dance partner, Alan Bersten, will be joining Joey and his partner, Jenna Johnson in theDWTSseason finale. ManyBachelorNation stars have made it clear that they want Ilona to beThe Bachelorette.
Ilona Is A Big Star
ABC Would Be Lucky To Have Her
Ilona’s star has been on the rise since she won a bronze medal in rugby during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. She made a name for herself for being tough on the field and charismatic in person. Ilona’s fun and outgoing personality, along with her athletic skills and unique beauty, made her a big star. In addition to being a top athlete, Ilona is ahuge social media star with a whopping 3.1 million TikTok followers.The Bacheloretteseason 22would be lucky to have her.
Ilona Has Joey Graziadei’s Approval
He’s Already Giving Her Tips
If Ilona does end up handing out roses on aBachelorNation show, she’s already had some training. Joey handed out a record number of roses to thecast ofThe Bachelorseason 28, andIlonarecentlyposted a TikTok video of Joey teaching her how. On her first attempt at the mock rose ceremony, she hilariously tells her invisible men that though they’re beautiful, she doesn’t like them all. When Joey suggests she be nicer, she says, “you’re not all ugly.” The clip is basically Ilona’s audition.
Celebrity Bachelorette Could Be Fun
Ilona Would Be So Different From Other Leads
The Bachelorfranchise premiered in 2002, and after 28 seasons ofThe Bachelorand 21 seasons ofThe Bachelorette, Ilona would be the biggest celebrity who ever led a season. It could be a game changer that revives the brand afterthe devastating ending to Jenn’s season. In addition to being funny and interesting, she has a massive following which could bring a whole new level of excitement to the popular series.
