Why Did Jesse Palmer Leave 'Spring Baking Championship'? Here's What We Know
Updated March 7 2022, 12:27 p.m. ET
The eighth season of Spring Baking Championship is afoot with host Molly Yeh taking the reins. However, one of the most memorable hosts of Spring Baking Championship, Jesse Palmer, is no longer with the show. So, why did he leave?
When Jesse Palmer first started as a host, there was a lot of criticism toward him from the fans of the Food Network show. After all, Jesse is an ex-NFL player and former Bachelor, not a chef, so why would he be hosting a Food Network cornerstone? Jesse indeed left Spring Baking Championship after one season, although it’s not totally clear why.
Jesse Palmer did leave ‘Spring Baking Championship,’ but so did many other hosts.
Unlike many other Food Network staples, Spring Baking Championship seems to go through its hosts quicker than some of us go through pairs of socks. Since it started in 2015, Spring Baking Championship has had four different hosts, with the current host, Molly Yeh, taking the reins in the wake of Ali Khan's departure.
Before Jesse Palmer, Bobby Deen was the first host of the show, and he was mostly loved by all the fans. Jesse hosted Season 3, and Ali Khan hosted Season 4. The fifth and sixth seasons of Spring Baking Championship were hosted by Clinton Kelly, who didn't receive great reviews from fans.
Many people did not like Jesse Palmer as a ‘Spring Baking Championship’ host at first.
Jesse hosted the third season of Spring Baking Championship in 2017 to replace the first host, Bobby, and many fans were not happy about it. A lot of people considered him “just another boring pretty boy” and were not excited to see him taking over one of their favorite shows.
However, Jesse was really excited to join the Food Network family after his time on The Bachelor, Good Morning America, and The Proposal on ABC. He shared to Life & Style in 2018, “I’m a huge foodie and a big fan of Food Network, I watch all the time!”
Jesse Palmer is no longer the host of ‘Spring Baking Championship,’ but he is still part of the Food Network family.
While Jesse did leave Spring Baking Championship, it doesn’t seem like there’s any specific reason. Perhaps one of the main reasons is because the Food Network asked Jesse to come back to host the Holiday Baking Championship. He has hosted the holiday version of the show every year since 2018.
It’s very possible the network producers over at the Food Network figured it wouldn’t be fair for Jesse to host both Holiday Baking Championship and Spring Baking Championship. Plus, since Jesse is not a chef or baker himself, taking a step back from the host role for one of the shows gives hardcore bakers a chance to interact with other talented chefs like the current host, Molly Yeh.
Luckily, Jesse is still on great terms with the Food Network, so we can still catch his charismatic persona during the holiday season. On top of that, Jesse has a new gig that has taken him to the pinnacle of reality dating television: hosting The Bachelor. Although he's no longer in the kitchen, Jesse is still certainly bringing the heat with the eligible contestants tapped for the latest season of the show.
In the meantime, we can enjoy watching the beauty of baking on Spring Baking Championship with a different host!
Watch Spring Baking Championship Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on the Food Network.