Why Clayton Echard Is a Stressful AF Bachelor for Host Jesse Palmer

Jesse Palmer deserves a massage after this season wraps.

If you've been keeping up with this season of The Bachelor, it's no secret that Clayton Echard likes to do things his own way. In an E! News exclusive interview, Jesse, the 2004 Bachelor and new host of the show, explained what it's been like hosting this season.

"A huge theme this season is there are no rules," Jesse said. "Clayton is not afraid to take risks and make decisions that he's going to own in order to find his person."

During the season premiere, Clayton offered up a rose before the limos arrived and sent another girl packing before the rose ceremony. Now, Clayton is considering taking back Cassidy's rose after finding out that she has a "friends with benefits" waiting for her back at home. "Clayton potentially now may take a rose back, that'll be the first time that happens," the 43-year-old former quarterback explained.

"And there's so much more ahead," he continued. "Things that [have] people, myself, and our producers sitting on the edge of our seats, because we just couldn't believe what was happening. We had never seen it before, there was no precedent for it. This is going to be a really eye-opening season for a lot of different reasons and you're going to see more of that, I think, coming up in this next episode."

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Though Jesse admires how Clayton is "so real and raw" and enjoys these "refreshing" Bachelor Nation firsts, he admits that they're also "stressful."

"Viewers at home will see things this season that they've never seen in 20 years having watched The Bachelor," he added. "Sometimes those decisions to a lot of people at home may feel like they're sort of straying off the beaten path. It's not as formulaic as what we've seen in recent seasons, but I think that's a little bit refreshing about him."

He continued, "Now, as a host, that can also be very stressful. Because you have to be willing to go there with him to help him get through it. So it's a little bit of all the feelings that I'm having right now with Clayton."

Brb, sending Jesse a spa gift certificate immediately.

Will Clayton take back Cassidy's rose? Tune in to The Bachelor on Monday, Jan 24 on ABC to find out.

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