The 29-year-old real estate broker is in for the journey of a lifetime. Not only is this his first experience filming on the Bachelor franchise, but James revealed to host Chris Harrison that he has never been in love.
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"One of the things that's been hard for me and my relationships is going deep and sharing who I am, what I'm about and what I've been through because it opens up this place that scares me," James said in a sneak peek of the season.
Meet the cast of women for the 2021 season of "The Bachelor"
- Abigail, 25, a client financial manager from Beaverton, OR
- Alana, 26, a photographer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Alicia, 24, a professional ballerina from New York City, NY
- Amber, 30, a nursing student from Costa Mesa, CA
- Anna, 24, a copywriter from Chicago, IL
- Bri, 24, a communications manager from San Francisco, CA
- Carolyn, 30, a journalist from Los Angeles, CA
- Casandra, 25, a social worker from Newport Beach, CA
- Chelsea, 28, a runway model from Brooklyn, NY
- Corrinne, 22, a marketing manager from Pomfret, CT
- Emani, 25, a realtor from Albuquerque, NM
- Illeana, 25, a health food developer from New York City, NY
- Jessenia, 27, a social media marketer from San Antonio, TX
- Kaili, 26, a hostess from Chicago, IL
- Katie, 29, a bank marketing manager from Renton, WA
- Khaylah, 28, a healthcare advocate from Durham, NC
- Kimberly, 28, an airline recruiter from Seattle, WA
- Kit, 21, a socialite from New York City, NY
- Kristin, 27, an attorney from Jersey City, NJ
- Lauren, 29, a corporate attorney from Miami, FL
- Magi, 32, a pharmacist from Adwa, Ethiopia
- Mari, 24, a marketing director from Odenton, MD
- Marylynn, 28, an event coordinator from Studio City, CA
- MJ, 23, a hairstylist from Hudson, OH
- Pieper, 23, a graduate student from Happy Valley, OR
- Rachael, 24, a graphic designer from Cumming, GA
- Saneh, 25, an IT consultant from Denver, CO.
- Sarah, 24, a broadcast journalist from San Diego, CA
- Serena C., 24, a flight attendant from San Francisco, CA
- Serena P., 22, a publicist from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Sydney, 28, a marketing specialist from Nashville, TN
- Victoria, 27, a queen from Los Angeles, CA
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While James will meet 32 women at the start of the show, only 24 hopefuls will remain by the end of the first rose ceremony.
James is not only meeting a record-breaking number of women in the premiere episode, but he's also making history as the franchise's first Black bachelor.
Meet the new 'Bachelor': Matt James
Don't miss the new season of "The Bachelor," premiering Monday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m. ET/PT | 7 p.m. CT on ABC.