Everything To Know About The New After The Final Rose Host

When Matt James’ After the Final Rose special airs on March 15, Bachelor fans will have a new face to get to know: Emmanuel Acho, who’s filling in as host for Chris Harrison. Acho confirmed the news in a Feb. 27 Instagram post, writing, “IT’S OFFICIAL: I’ve accepted the Rose and am honored to be hosting the @bachelorabc After the Final Rose this year.”

The move comes after Harrison temporarily stepped back from The Bachelor franchise in February, following a controversial interview with Rachel Lindsay in which he defended contestant Rachael Kirkconnell’s racist actions. Kirkconnell, a frontrunner on Matt’s season, was criticized after photos of her attending an antebellum-themed party in 2018 surfaced and TikTok users claimed she had liked racist posts. (Kirkconnell has since issued an apology for her behavior).

Acho, who is the author of New York Times best-seller Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, wrote that after a “pivotal season,” he hopes ATFR will be “one of the most storied shows in TV history.” "Empathy is needed and change is coming,” he continued in his Instagram post. “I love being a bridge for reconciliation. Our world is disconnected & divided, my goal is to unify.”

Get to know more about Acho below.

Emmanuel Acho's Job Has Changed a Lot

A Nigerian American, Acho holds a bachelor's degree in sports management and a master's degree in sports psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. He was in the NFL for four seasons beginning in 2012, playing for teams including the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. He later transitioned to broadcasting, working as an analyst for the Longhorn Network for two years before joining ESPN in 2018. He now hosts Fox Sports' Speak For Yourself talk show.

Outside of his broadcasting career, Acho hosts a YouTube series also called Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. Past guests have included Matthew McConaughey, Chelsea Handler, and Chip and Joanna Gaines, as well as Lindsay and her husband Bryan Abasolo. Acho also has an active role in his his family's non-profit organization, Living Hope Christian Ministries, which raised enough money to build a hospital in rural Nigeria.

Emmanuel Acho's Instagram Has Some Celeb Followers

Among the celebs who follow Acho on Instagram are Jennifer Aniston, Matthew McConaughey, Blake Lively, Michelle Williams, Shawn Mendes, Garcelle Beauvais, Mario, and Lauren London. He's also getting plenty of social media love from Bachelor/ette alums, including Becca Kufrin, Mike Johnson, Nick Viall, Hannah Brown, Ivan Hall, Demar Jackson, and Taylor Nolan. Even Matt James commented that he is "looking forward to" Acho hosting his ATFR special.

As of late, Acho has been using his Instagram page to highlight conversations about race, but his older posts also feature his workouts and plenty of shirtless photos.

Emmanuel Acho Dated an Insecure Star

Acho and Insecure's Yvonne Orji went public with their relationship in May 2018, but after a little more than a year of dating, the actor announced she was newly single during a February 2019 episode of her her Jesus & Jollof podcast. Acho hasn't been romantically linked to anyone else since their breakup.