Jesse Palmer is a dad! The Bachelor Nation host announced that his wife, Emely Fardo, gave birth to baby No. 1, a little girl, in an Instagram post on Wednesday, January 10.

“Our worlds have been forever changed …” Jesse, 45, shared. “She’s finally here. ELLA REINE PALMER. Our hearts are overflowing with love and gratitude.”

Along with the announcement, the sports commentator also shared a photo of his growing family, with baby Ella resting on Emely’s chest.

Jesse started dating Emely, 34, in 2017 and he proposed in 2019. Although they originally planned to tie the knot in Paris, their nuptials were canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. They had a small ceremony in Connecticut that June instead.

the bachelors jesse palmer and wife welcome baby no 1
jessepalmer/Instagram

Luckily, the couple was still able to have their dream wedding in France in 2022. They announced that Emely was pregnant in August 2023.

“We’ve been keeping a secret … our family is growing and our hearts are so full!” the lovebirds said in a joint statement at the time. “This is a dream come true for us and we’re so thrilled to be welcoming our baby girl in January 2024.”

Amid the final days of Emely’s pregnancy, Jesse hosted The Golden Bachelor stars Theresa Nist and Gerry Turner’s televised wedding in Palm Springs on January 4. Because the nuptials fell so close to the model’s due date, ABC producers called up Wells Adams as Jesse’s understudy.

The Bachelor in Paradise bartender, 39, told Life & Style in an exclusive interview that he almost had to step in at the last minute. “They hit me up, like, two days beforehand and they’re like, ‘Hey, listen, if Jesse can’t do this, you need to host this thing,’” Wells shared. “And so I was like, ‘Oh, no. This is, like, a completely live show. Man, I hope I don’t screw this thing up.’ And then, lo and behold, Jesse flew back, like, four hours before the show and did it. So, I was off the hook.”

While hosting the live event, Jesse gave Emely a sweet shoutout. “Emely, I know you’re at home watching,” he said. “I love you so much. I miss you. Please call me if you need anything. I will leave here immediately, and I’ll leave everything in the capable hands of my friends who I’ve enlisted to help me out here tonight.”

Jesse was previously the star of season 5 of The Bachelor in 2004. He left the show in a relationship with his final pick, Jessica Bowlin, but they split just weeks after the finale.