Dean Unglert Says He’d “Definitely Have to Consider” Being the Next Bachelor

After Rachel Lindsay sent him home on the most recent season of The Bachelorette, Dean Unglert continued to pursue happily-ever-after on Bachelor in Paradise, where he *did* find love on the beach. But it sounds like he’s not ready to call off the search for Ms. Right just yet, because he’s also talking about the possibility of becoming the next Bachelor.

“I would of course be flattered to be presented an opportunity like that,” the 26-year-old told Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti on their Almost Famous podcast this week. “I would never say no to an opportunity, especially of that magnitude, right away. I would definitely have to consider it quite a bit.” It sounds like he’s already done quite a bit of considering, TBH.

If he were chosen as the next Bachelor, he’d change things up a bit from what he experienced as a contestant on The Bachelorette. “I would kind of go into it with the same mentality, where it would be a different season of sorts,” he explained. “It would be obviously, in my opinion, maybe a little bit more high energy, a little bit more fun. Just focus more on fun and the romance side of things instead of focusing so heavily on the engagement itself. But as [Higgins] mentioned, I think you put yourself through that process and at the end of it you’re in a completely different position than you thought you were going to be in.” Translation: Who knows what might happen?

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Do you ever do something and wonder "wtf was I thinking" immediately afterward? Yeah, this was one of those times...

A post shared by Dean Michael Unglert (@deanie_babies) on Aug 9, 2017 at 11:54am PDT

Higgins and Iaconetti also inquired as to whether Unglert, a fan favorite on Lindsay’s season, would be able to commit to someone in such a short amount of time. “I could see myself proposing to someone after eight or nine weeks,” he confirmed. “I don’t think I would have gone on The Bachelorette had I not been able to see that within myself.”

He’s less confident about whether he’s prepared to take on the responsibility that comes with being the Bachelor. “Could anybody ever be ready for that? It’s basically nine weeks of heartache and hardships for one obviously grandiose celebration at the end. But I don’t think anybody’s really ready for it,” he said. “I think it boils back down to… you’re under a lot of scrutiny, and regardless of what you do, whether you think it’s right or wrong, people are going to find the wrong in it.”

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Hometowns are 2 days away! ..and I'm asking for a favor: when I said my father was eccentric, I was not referring to his Sikh faith or the turban he wears on his head. I'm not asking you to spare his feelings (or mine) but instead to be cognizant and accepting of the millions of people that belong to the Sikh community. Although he and I are not close, I respect my father’s decision to follow his heart and pursue the life he has chosen. Let us not criticize him for his appearance or his beliefs because by doing so we are disparaging an entire faith and culture that includes millions of people. And I know we are all better than that. That is all (for now) #endrant HAPPY SATURDAY PEOPLE 💜

A post shared by Dean Michael Unglert (@deanie_babies) on Jul 15, 2017 at 1:04pm PDT

One thing he knows for sure: He’s ready to fall in love, either on-screen or off. “I would like to find a relationship that would allow me to be with that person for the rest of my life. I’m not interested in going out and playing a bunch of women and hooking up with as many people as possible. So to be able to go on and find somebody I can spend the rest of my life with, I think, is obviously the purest joy that can come from that.”

Do you think Dean Unglert should be the next Bachelor? Let us know @BritandCo!

(Photos via Leon Bennett/Getty Images for Kershaw’s Challenge)