Photo: John Fleenor/ ABC
Hilary Duffhopes to helpClayton Echarddiscover what dreams are made of on next week’s episode ofThe Bachelor!
TheHow I Met Your Fatherstar, 34, will guest host a portion of Monday’s episode of the ABC reality show as Echard, 28, goes on his first group date of the season.
On the date, Duff joins the women vying for Echard’s love as they prepare a Beverly Hills-style birthday party, according to ABC. Sparks eventually fly when one woman spends more time with Echard than the kids at the party.
In newly released photos from the day of the date, Echard and Duff appear deep in thought at times as they chat it up.
The former NFL player appears in a distressed blue button-down t-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts while Duff hosts in an off-white, thin-strap tank top with an asymmetrical hem lined with fringe, which she matched with a classic pair of skinny jeans.
John Fleenor/ABC
Season 26 ofThe Bachelorgot off to a wild start on Monday, withtwo women leaving the showprior to the first rose ceremony. The first was Salley, who visited Echard’s room to inform him that she was not ready to participate in the program, which began filming the weekend of what was supposed to be her wedding to her ex-fiancé.
Echard offered her a rose after telling her that he believes “there’s definitely chemistry” between them. But Salley ultimately refused.
“The first rose that I have given out as the Bachelor was rejected,” Clayton told the cameras after the rejection. “This is not the way that I was hoping to start my journey to find love.”
Prior to Monday’s season premiere, Echard indicated that he “did find love” as The Bachelor. “I was a little skeptical going into the whole journey,” he said onGood Morning America, “but I’m so pleasantly surprised that things worked out much different than I thought. Again, I’m just so excited to watch it back and have everyone else watch it as well.”
Clayton Echard.ABC/Pamela Littky
“I was cautiously optimistic, but there were so many incredible women,” Echard, 28, tells PEOPLE. “I just promised myself I would be transparent and not hold back. And I followed my heart.”
Still, the former football player says he wasn’t prepared to have intense feelings for more than one woman.
“I promised myself I wouldn’t fall in love in love with multiple women but I fell in love with three,” he says. “At that point I accepted it but I realized I was going to have to stop using absolutes. I handled it to the best of my ability. It wasn’t perfect! I learned a lot of lessons. And that’s life.”
The Bachelorairs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
source: people.com
