Brad Smith is Canada’s First Bachelor

Brad Smith is ready to take on 25 single ladies, armed only with a platter of roses

Who is The Bachelor Canada? Meet former CFL player Brad Smith, who will be handing out roses to 25 lucky ladies

Weeks of speculation have come to an end as Citytv announced that Brad Smith, a former CFL wide receiver, will be Canada’s first Bachelor. The 28-year-old is fluent in French, son of Canadian Senator Larry Smith, and has played for CFL teams including the Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes.

The executive producer of The Bachelor Canada, Claire Freeland, describes Smith as a “quintessentially Canadian, down-to-earth man.” Presently a free agent, Smith says he is taking a break from football in order to focus on the Bachelor experience, as he “truly [believes] in the process.” Instead of dodging giant, sweaty men, Brad will have to fend off a pack of eager single women looking to tackle Canada’s newest reality star.

The announcement was revealed on Breakfast Television, where Smith announced he “can’t wait to meet all the wonderful Canadian women who have put their lives on hold to experience all of this with me.”

Although Smith’s 25 hopeful bachelorettes have yet to be revealed, production has already begun and the series will air this fall. The show will follow the tried-and-tested nine-episode format, with Smith offering a dwindling number of ladies roses week after week.

Despite the exciting news, the waiting game begins yet again. Citytv says fans will learn the identity of Brad’s bachelorettes, as well as the host of the show, in the next couple of months.