Apple Watch Ultra2 keeps connecting to Home Pods instead of AirPods

After upgrading my Apple products, then updating the iOS to 17, I have a continuing problem with my Apple Watch connecting to one of my sets of Home Pods instead of my AirPod Pros. (The Home Pods are also used with a TV and an Apple TV.) This problematic connection happens when I am leaving on my morning run, normally while selecting a podcast on my watch. When I select the podcast, it starts playing through the Home Pod speakers; it also freezes what was being viewed on television, until I close out the streaming app. Furthermore, this problem sometimes manifests itself later--if I wait to listen to a podcast when I am out of range from my house--I can select music to play from my watch, but if I select a downloaded podcast, it will just default back to the last podcast screen. On many occasions, I have had to restart the Apple Watch on my run, then it will connect to podcasts and music with no issues.

It may be a glitch with AirPlay, but it is hard to tell.