Single Mother Featured in New 'Bachelorette' Season

“The Bachelorette'' begins its eighth season tonight with its first single mother, Emily Maynard, having five men from the Los Angeles area to choose from, including one from Hermosa Beach.

The L.A. contestants will be among 25 bachelors in the episode airing from 9:31-11 p.m. on ABC.

Lerone Anu, a 29-year-old real estate consultant from Los Angeles, said “the fact that Emily is a single mom is one of the most attractive things about her.''

“It's proof she's strong, independent, she's responsible and that's exactly what I'm looking for,'' Anu said.

The other Los Angeles-area bachelors are Nate Bakke, a 25-year-old accountant, and Joe Gendreau, a 27-year-old field energy adviser, both from Los Angeles; Kyle Dillon, a 29-year-old financial advisor, and Aaron Martell, a 36-year-old biology teacher, both from Long Beach; and Randy Lee, a 30-year-old marketing manager from Hermosa Beach.

The field of bachelors will be reduced to 19 by the end of the episode. Maynard became engaged to former NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick in 2004. Hendrick was killed in a plane crash in October 2004 when Maynard was pregnant with their child.

Maynard accepted Brad Womack's proposal last year on ``The Bachelor,'' only to break up before they were wed.

Maynard, 26, is a full-time mother who also volunteers for various organizations. She lives in Charlotte, N.C., where the season was based.

“Emily's season is drastically different than anything we've ever done,'' host Chris Harrison told reporters on a conference call last week. “Her being a single mom, it definitely changed the tone. It changed the tone from night one.”

“Throughout the show, there was always just that underlying issue of
... she's a mom and is this guy ready? And it's not just at the end of this,
hopefully finding a husband, it's hopefully finding a father figure to Ricki.”

Only the first season of ``The Bachelorette'' has resulted in her marrying the final suitor.