Joey Graziadei is the new Bachelor

In a move that will come as no surprise to anyone who has watched this season of The Bachelorette, ABC announced on Monday that season 20 runner-up Joey Graziadei is the next star of The Bachelor.

During Monday's Bachelorette finale, the Hawaii-based tennis pro saw his "journey" to find "love" come to an abrupt end when Charity Lawson told him she had found a "deeper" love with Dotun Olubeko, a 30-year-old integrative medicine specialist from Brooklyn.

"I want love, bad," said a tearful Joey moments after the breakup. "This thing has just shown me how badly I want to be with someone else and get an opportunity to share life with them, because that's all I can think of. I just would ask the universe when, when is it going to happen for me?"

Short answer: 2024! And despite how heartbroken he was a few months ago, Joey insists he's (say it with me, rose lovers) Ready to Find Love Again™. "It's definitely surreal," the 27-year-old told host Jesse Palmer during an in-studio appearance at the live finale. "I'm trying my best just to stay present and enjoy it."

Though some fans have questioned Joey's sincerity this season — and even his uncle had some doubts that Joey was being his "most genuine self" with Charity — producers clearly feel confident that their new leading man is in it for the Right Reasons™.

Season 28 of The Bachelor premieres in January on ABC.

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