Former NFL quarterback and TV presenter Jesse Palmer has opened up on his terrifying near-death experience while shooting ‘The Bachelorette’ in Fiji.
Palmer, who made eight appearances across two seasons with the New York Giants, was named permanent host of the reality dating franchise in 2021, 17 years after he starred as the male protagonist on ‘The Bachelor’.
During filming for Season 20 of the female spin-off in 2023, the ex-Giants star headed to Fiji as Charity Lawson embarked on a journey to find love on the tropical island.
And when Charity headed on a date with contestant Dotun Olubeko, disaster struck for Palmer.
‘Charity and Dotun had this amazing one-on-one date on this secluded little island in the middle of the water,’ he recalled in a Q&A with Parade this week.
‘I watched them on their date and thought about how I’d love to just go out there by myself and spend a couple hours on that beach when we were done filming. So I went out there.
Jesse Palmer has recalled his near-death experience while filming The Bachelorette in 2023
The former New York Giants quarterback has hosted the reality dating franchise since 2021
Palmer was shooting Season 20 of The Bachelorette (pictured) when he nearly got lost at sea
‘But then the storm blew in, and the tide started climbing up onto the beach — to the point where the beach almost got completely covered by the ocean.
‘I’m just out in the middle of the ocean, and there’s nothing there. And I thought to myself, “I’m just going to have to tread water and hope a boat comes by and picks me up.”‘
Despite a boat coming out to rescue him ‘at the very last second’, the 47-year-old admits his mind wandered to a dark place.
‘I did have some bad thoughts for a moment,’ he added. ‘Like, this is so crazy and ironic if this is how it ends.’
Palmer spent five seasons in the NFL between New York and San Francisco after being selected by the Giants in the fourth round of the 2001 Draft.
He appeared on Season 5 of The Bachelor as a Giants player in 2004, pursuing a relationship with 21-year-old law student Jessica Bowlin.
However, the pair went their separate ways after the much-anticipated finale of the show.
Palmer has been married to wife Emely Fardo since 2020, with their wedding taking place roughly a year before he took over as host of both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.
