The Bachelorette alum Michael Allio, who quit Katie Thurston's season to return home to his four-year-old son James, has revealed if he's open to starring on The Bachelor in 2022.
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The Bachelorette fans have been swooning over Michael ever since he revealed he's a widower who thinks it would be a blessing and unique opportunity to fall in love twice.
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Even Season 14 The Bachelorette star Becca Kufrin said on her Bachelor Happy Hour podcast she's "rooting" for Michael to be the next Bachelor because she thinks he's incredibly sweet and genuine.
But the 36-year-old single dad and business owner from Akron, OH, apparently isn't sure he'd want the role.
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"I'm not sold on the idea!" Michael told People.
He explained, "I literally just got my heart broken on TV, so I am trying to mend those wings. And I have to think about what it would be like to get engaged in and introduce someone to my son in such a quick timeframe."
Starring on The Bachelor's upcoming 26th season would also mean more time away from his son, unless ABC let Michael bring James along for the ride or film in his hometown, like how Emily Maynard had taped a big portion of The Bachelorette's eighth season in North Carolina in order to stay with her daughter Ricki.
Michael was shown leaving Katie's season at the beginning of The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All broadcast on Monday night.
"It was obviously a really difficult decision [to quit the show]," Michael explained. "But as a parent, it was black and white."
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Michael ultimately decided he needed to go home in fourth place after FaceTiming with his son, who sadly voiced how it seemed like his father didn't want to see him considering Michael had been away filming the show for over a month in New Mexico.
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"When your child says that, you answer the call," Michael said.
Michael has been raising James on his own, with the help of his beloved parents and in-laws, ever since his college sweetheart and late wife Laura Ritter-Allio died from breast cancer in January 2019.
"I think a lot of single parents probably have to deal with the fact that when they're pursuing their own happiness, it does take a little bit from the time they're spending with their child," Michael told People.
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"It's a constant balancing act that's happening. But I would do it all over again and make the same decisions."
Luckily, Michael said he received the "closure" he needed from Katie when they both filmed The Men Tell All special earlier this month.
While Michael admitted on the special he'd love to resume dating Katie again if she'd be willing to give their relationship another shot, Katie announced that she moved on in her journey to find love and believes everything happens for a reason.
Katie also noted she's "happy" with how her season turned out.
"I've been waiting to have this conversation with Katie for a while -- I mean, since the day I left New Mexico, it's been on my mind. She did provide clarity for me to be able to begin starting over and finding [love] all over again," Michael shared.
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"The closure I got was basically that the position I put her in created a chain reaction for other things -- I know that when I left, there were three amazing guys that could have had better relationships [with her] than me the entire time."
Katie's Final 3 bachelors are Greg Grippo, Blake Moynes and Justin Glaze, and all three men appear to be falling for The Bachelorette star with hometowns right around the corner.
"I'm hoping she found happiness with one of them, even though it means that, you know, I've got to kind of say goodbye," Michael said.
And Michael certainly hasn't given up on finding true love and a mother figure for James.
"I do think love is totally out there for me," Michael noted.
"I'm getting a lot of messages from people who are resonating with my story and my message to any widower is that they can find it, too. It is possible -- and they are worth it."
To read spoilers on Katie's The Bachelorette season and find out who is her winner and whether she is engaged, click here.
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