Grant Ellis Was ‘Celibate’ Before The Bachelor, Teases Fantasy Suites

Bachelor Grant Ellis tried to handle fantasy suites with care and understanding.

“It’s a lot,” Grant, 31, said on the Thursday, March 6, episode of “The Viall Files” podcast. “Fantasy suites is really tricky, but I think I handled myself very well.”

Grant acknowledged that he was one of the Bachelors with the most night 1 kisses.  “I do feel like there were a lot of kisses [this season], but fantasy suites, I really reserved myself because when you get physical intimacy involved, it changes things,” he said. “Your connection with somebody, there could be red flags and then you have sex and everything could be wonderful.”

Keeping that in mind, Grant really “tried to be responsible” going into the coveted final days.

“My expectation was [that] I didn’t go in saying, ‘I’m not going to,’ but I had to know that this person was my person in order for me to engage,” Grant explained to podcast host Nick Viall. “At that point, I didn’t know who.”

Grant’s final three women are Juliana Pasquarosa, who he referred to as “Jules,” Litia Garr, who he referred to as “TiTi,” and Zoe McGrady.

When Nick’s wife and cohost, Natalie Joy, speculated that his prior response meant that he “didn’t f—” any of his finalists, Grant played coy.

“I didn’t say that directly,” Grant quipped. “I didn’t say I did other things, but I handled myself well, you know.”

According to Grant, there was also “the pressure and the stereotype” that came with his mantle as the second Black Bachelor lead. (Matt James was the first Black man to helm the franchise.)

“People are going to think I’m a player or this or that — or that I’m trying to get my rocks off,” Grant said. “I wasn’t. I went in there with real intentions and prior to that, I was celibate for a year. I got out of a seven-year relationship and I was hurting, so, like, sex is great but I wanted to make sure it was with someone who was my person and then we could f— all the time.”

Grant previously shared a similar sentiment in his Us Weekly cover story.

“To me, being the second Black Bachelor means giving a voice to people that might not typically watch this franchise. They might see me and resonate with the way I speak or some little things that I say,” he said earlier this month. “Sometimes in culture, it’s not looked at as cool to be really smart. I want people to see that and be like, “OK, you could be a Black man and you can take your education seriously.” I just want to be a role model. What excites me is people seeing my story — my life struggle, everything I’ve been through that led me to be the man that I am.”

He also told Us that he was confident he found The One by hometowns.

“I, honestly, was 100 percent sure because that’s what I came there for,” Grant shared in his exclusive Us cover story earlier this month. “I knew I was going to make things work.”

The Bachelor airs Mondays on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.