Even 'Bachelor' Alums Are Confused Why Pilot Pete Was Picked As The Next Leading Man...

At some point here, you almost have to feel bad for Pete Weber… right?

Pilot Pete is getting absolutely no love from Bachelor nation right now! All this, after the show’s producers announced on the Bachelor in Paradise finale last week that Weber — and not popular fan-favorite Mike Johnson — would be getting the nod to become the next Bachelor. And controversy ensued!

BiP alums Ashley Iaconetti and Jared Haibon are among the growing number of Bachelor Nation contestants and alums who are surprised, to say the least, that Weber is the man for the job here ahead of Demi Lovato‘s love interest, big Mike!

In fact, Iaconetti laid it all out there in an interview with People this weekend, saying about the pilot being the choice for next season (below):

“I’ll be honest, I feel like I have not for quite some time felt so detached from a choice for the Bachelor. He was very nice on his season, but I don’t know that I know him very well. He’s just been sweet and lovely, but I don’t know him.”

Yikes!

Iaconetti’s 30-year-old man Haibon didn’t exactly offer up his own ringing endorsement of Weber, either, noting how he was “shocked that [Mike] is not the Bachelor.”

And even though both of the duo are quick to say Pilot Pete should put for a fantastic season (right…), each of them were so taken back by how much they liked Johnson after meeting him, that they can’t get the big guy out of their head!

Will you still tune in to watch Peter Weber find love? / (c) Bachelor ABC/YouTube

“I’m actually a little disappointed [that Johnson wasn’t the one picked, but like, that’s no offense to Peter,” Iaconetti said at another point during the interview. Oh boy!!!

Haibon later added more, too, opining that Pilot Pete was going to be just fine… but noting that yeah, Mike would have made for a very interesting leading man for quite a few reasons. Haibon added (below):

“It’s interesting because there was so much talk about Mike potentially being the first black Bachelor, and he seemed like a good choice. And on TV we saw nothing but great things from him. I also think that Peter’s gonna be great. That’s the thing. It’s not like I don’t think Peter’s going to be a bad Bachelor. I think he’ll be a great Bachelor.”

Well said!

What do y’all think about Pilot Pete being chosen for the show ahead of Mike, Perezcious readers?! It’s obviously creating some kind of rift in Bachelor Nation, at least for some of the alums and former contestants… should we be surprised by that???