A prodigal son is returning to the season 26 production set for ABC’s wildly popular reality show, The Bachelor. Since 2007, Jesse Palmer has served as a college football analyst for ESPN, and although he’ll continue to do that moving forward, he’s returning too to the show which launched his television stardom.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Palmer will host the show in 2022 as it begins production on season 26 this week.

The former Florida quarterback and a one-time Bachelor himself, Palmer released a statement to THR which reads, in part:

“For more than 20 years, The Bachelor has brought the world dozens of unforgettable love stories, including at one time, my own,” said Palmer. “Falling in love is one of life’s greatest gifts, and I am humbled by the opportunity to return to the show as host.”

Palmer, who was the Season 5 Bachelor back in 2004, also agreed to a contract with ESPN executives to allow him to continue his role as a studio analyst for the network during the remainder of the 2021-22 college football season.

The Bachelor season 26 is scheduled to begin airing in January 2022 on ABC.