‘The Bachelor’ Bosses Making ‘Big Changes’ After Ratings Drop
The Bachelor has reportedly hired a new casting team to revamp the reality franchise after its ratings declined in recent seasons.
According to The U.S. Sun, the ABC dating competition series has tapped Los Angeles-based casting company Wyldside Media to handle the upcoming season. The company is best known for hiring talent for Bravo shows, including The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and The Real Housewives of Miami.
In addition, they’ve also had a hand in casting MTV’s The Hills: New Beginnings, VH1’s Basketball Wives, Discovery’s Undercover Billionaire, and Bravo’s Married to Medicine, among many others.
An insider reportedly told The U.S. Sun that the Bachelor franchise is in “crisis mode” as the show tries to figure out a way to improve falling ratings. This apparently includes casting “someone from outside the franchise to be the lead for Season 30.”
“They need a fresh start. They won’t be following the tradition of choosing someone who’s already part of the franchise,” the source claimed. “They want someone who’s serious about looking for love and not just in it to be an influencer.”
The insider added that The Bachelor wants to return to its roots, finding a lead who is “well put together and just in need of a life partner,” rather than using the show as a platform for fame.
“He’ll most likely be in his 30s and will have a good career, good morals and is going to be a huge catch to any contestant on next season,” the source added. “It will be like the earlier years of the show, for sure.”
Season 29 of The Bachelor featured Grant Ellis as the leading man, with ratings averaging around 2.4 million, according to Nielsen figures. For comparison, Season 28, which saw Joey Graziadei as the lead, averaged 3.45 million viewers. The Season 28 finale reached 4.138 million viewers, while Season 29 dropped by around a million viewers, with 3.224 million viewers.
That said, Graziadei’s season was actually up on Season 27, headlined by Zach Shallcross, which averaged 2.99 million viewers. However, it was down slightly on Season 26, led by Clayton Echard, which averaged 3.66 million viewers.
What do you think? Does The Bachelor need to change? Should it go back to its roots? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The Bachelor, Season 30, TBA, ABC
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Comments are closed on this story.
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O
Do not use the yuck guy who refuses to date someone his own age! That's not what Golden bachelor is suppose to be about. He's insulted millions of women . He's not grateful for the opportunity he has been given. He's entitled and a bad choice.
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O
They have already let him go.
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P
Be more selective with your screening and select people that are truly desiring to meet their match for the rest of their life! They bring in too many emotionally immature women and then create drama but we really don’t want to see drama we want to see love and support and kindness! It seems the franchise pittts people against each other which is exhausting to watch!
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O
It hasn't been about love in years and years. It's only about sex & fame to the lead and the cast.
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R
Their approach is all wrong and going back to the old way Isn’t going to make it better. They are going about things from the wrong angle and don’t see the right way to do it. Right now you have the tail wagging the dog. The right way isn’t complicated.
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O
People want to see men and women with high moral integrity because our culture needs more of those. There's already too many sleezy things on TV. Integrity is a highly valued quality that the world needs to see.
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P
I think the show has to go back to real people. Models, social media reps., etc are soooooo plastic. Classy, not sleezy. The show was meant to be a fairytale-like show. It's become the sex-romp thing. I've been watching from the very, very beginning. You see more black boxes now around bathing suits, than (classy) fantasy dates. It's ridiculous. ***** But whatever you do, DONT DO WHAT THEY DID TO "PARADISE"!!!!!! Those dreamlike clips of what the contestants are thinking and feeling, kill the reality feel of the show. I hate it. It makes it feel scripted + not reality at all
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O
Who picks these people to be on this show? How about more diversity? After seeing who will be the next Golden Bachelor already makes me not want to watch.
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F
Here's a thought...take the hint...the show is old and people are getting sick of it!!! Perhaps it's time to let it go and move on to a show less numbingly stupid!!! I mean let's be honest...in all the seasons of shows in this franchise how many couples have actually been successful? A handful if that...people aren't stupid and they know that 9 out of 10 times the couples won't stay together. What's the point?
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G
Why go to the extreme and get rid of the show then? I wrote below that there is a problem with the approach. If they are going to have the next bachelorette, they select 25-30 guys to be on the show. Then you hear the guys say if they knew this woman would be the bachelorette they wouldn’t have been interested. This is starting out with men that really aren’t really that interested in the bachelorette. Fix the process and the show will work. Keep the process the way it is and it won’t work. Choosing a bachelor or bachelorette from the outside is not going to fix the core issue with what they are doing wrong.
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R
Bring people that want to be married and not just a hookup and 15 min of fame
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Z
I think the candidates are too young and they aren't taking marriage seriously. 30-50 range is best becausetheyrecready for love, not fame! I know theres the golden bachelor, and that new candidate should not be allowed to be the golden bachelor because he says he won't date anybody 60 or over, we'll guess what, im 60 and I look like im in my 40s, and date men in my 30s, but im open minded to meet older men, I just look at act much younger, but at least im not close minded like that new golden bachelor who is extremely superficial, who is probably too old for me because of his attitude!!!
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B
Bachelor/ette - to many influencers, liars, drama “queens”, uneducated, power hungry people. They just aren’t interested or interesting.
Paradise - quit recycling the losers, trouble makers. The new format is so forced and boring, all these pathetic little relationship challenges, and love vs money. The Goldens were the most interesting part of that fake drama and the shallow assessments. And TOO much literal chewing face. So tired of seeing butts and crotches and boobs, better dressing and better filming/editing.
You may not be able to change the franchise without some major reorganizing. I for one probably won’t be back.
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C
Many people turned off by Chris Harrison’s departure. His leaving was all wrong in so many ways. A man with integrity. I like Jesse but Chris was the original. He is the old way you should try and bring back and many will watch again.
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G
Bring back Chris Harrison and we'll be back. Jesse is ok but .... and screen your applicants better! Show has gotten too predictable with the same kind of drama.
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Z
I think it would very cool to let the candidates decide how old or young their suitors are, now that would be a cool show, then it will attract to all ages!!!
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