Jesse Palmer Was The Best Part Of The Bachelorette Week 4

Now that he’s several seasons into hosting The Bachelor/ette and its spin-offs, Jesse Palmer seems to have the gig down to a smooth rhythm. When he’s not keeping count of ceremonial roses or serving as a source of support for the season lead, he often finds time to explore the latest filming location with his wife, Emely.

But as the July 29 episode of Jenn Tran’s season proves, Jesse’s never really off-duty. During the final moments of Week 4, the franchise host essentially turned into an on-the-scene news correspondent while dealing with the surprise return of Jenn’s ex, Matt Rossi.

“Alright, so basically here’s what’s happening right now,” he said, breaking the fourth wall to address viewers. “A guy from Jenn’s past has reached out to one of our producers. It’s obviously not normal, it’s very unexpected.”

Jesse’s intense delivery — paired with dramatic music and a split-screen showing Matt on his way to the hotel — had fans on X (formerly Twitter) on the edge of their seats.

Reporting Live From Bachelor Nation

“Not Jesse coming in like this is breaking news & we’re going to war,” one viewer wrote, while another described the scene as a “jump scare.”

“You know when Jesse has to talk directly to the camera it’s serious,” a fan pointed out.

“Jesse is so serious and yet unserious at the same time and ngl I kind of love it,” one viewer said, pointing to the time the host shared an update about The Bachelorette from an empty studio as if he were delivering news of a great tragedy. (As one fan so perfectly put it at the time: “The actual F*CK is this broken down studio??? Is Jesse Palmer being held for ransom??”)

After debriefing viewers, Jesse questioned the new arrival. “At the end, all of us just want what’s best for Jenn,” he told Matt. “Maybe that’s you. So, help me understand how you two know each other.”

Matt seemed to pass Jesse’s inspection and was sent off to surprise Jenn — capping off one of the most fun, bizarre moments in Jenn’s Bachelorette season so far.

“You're kind of like a doctor, on call at all times,” Jesse once told GQ of his hosting duties. “You have your days that you know you’re going to be filming laid out for you. But so many times on this show, something happens and you’re called in.”

Jesse & The Bachelor Go Way Back

Jesse’s live reporting wasn’t the only fun moment from Week 5. Earlier in the episode, he told Jenn that he was the reason couples don’t really eat during Bachelor/ette one-on-one dinner dates.

“On my season, I was scarfing the food down on every single date … and I think after that, they had to stop doing it,” he confessed.

Naturally, that caught many fans by surprise. “Jesse Palmer is the reason no one eats on dates???” one user posted. “This is an insane piece of Bachelor Nation lore.”