According to The Star:

Citytv revealed his name live on BT Tuesday morning, airing a pre-taped interview between the 28-year-old bachelor and CityLine host Tracy Moore. Smith will be the first man to have a group of bachelorettes, who have yet to be revealed, vying for the final red rose in the Canadian version of the popular ABC reality series The Bachelor.

Smith grew up in small-town Hudson, Que., and speaks French. He most recently played for the Edmonton Eskimos, but has also played for Toronto Argonauts and Montreal Alouettes and was a receiver on the Queen’s University football team in Kingston, Ont.

Pat Sheahan, his former head coach at Queen’s University, was not surprised by the selection.

“Nobody is surprised that Brad would end up being this. This is a Brad Smith-type thing to do,” Sheahan told the Star.

“He was one of those guys, kind of the golden boy from the time he arrived here — good-looking, extremely athletic, bright and well-spoken. I mean the kid’s got it all so nobody is surprised.”

Brad Smith’s father, Larry Smith, is Canadian football royalty. He’s a former Montreal Alouettes star running back, former commissioner of the league and former president of the Alouettes. He is currently a member of the senate, having been appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2010.

Brad Smith now calls Toronto home and told Moore that he hopes to get engaged on the show.

“I’m extremely honoured to be chosen as Canada’s first bachelor. I take this experience very seriously, and I truly believe in the process,” said Smith in a release. “I can’t wait to meet all the wonderful Canadian women who have put their lives on hold to experience all of this with me. I hope I can live up to their expectations, as I know they’ll absolutely exceed mine.”

Casting for the show is complete and production on the nine-episode series is already underway. The Bachelor Canada will premiere on Citytv this fall. The identity of host and 25 bachelorettes will be announced at a later date.

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