ABC
ABC Considering Canceling ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ After Fans Reject the Cast’s ‘Immature Antics’
ABC is considering canceling Bachelor in Paradise after nine seasons as fans gravitate toward older stars like Gerry Turner, a source exclusively tells Life & Style.
“The buzz is that the network may cancel Paradise and focus their attention on making their Bachelor and Bachelorette shows better. It seems like the more mature contestants on Gerry’s season drove newer viewers in and the younger fans loved it,” the insider revealed on Tuesday, January 2.
The source also notes that The Golden Bachelor was “a huge winner for ABC,” and that may have contributed to Bachelor in Paradise’s downfall.
“It seems [The Golden Bachelor’s] success shined a spotlight on Bachelor in Paradise’s less than stellar ratings,” the insider reveals. “The audience tuned in to watch Gerry Turner respectfully pick a wife on The Golden Bachelor and then they tuned out for the younger couple’s immature antics on Paradise.”
Fans haven’t been quiet about the appeal of a more mature crowd infiltrating the popular reality show either.
“Faith is there because these women are GOLDEN and more mature than 20 somethings yr olds. They know life is too short to remain upset. What great models for the rest behind them!” a fan wrote on an Instagram Reel posted to the official page of The Golden Bachelor.
Another person added, “They are very sweet genuine older ladies unlike the younger cat fight ladies,” while someone else admitted that it was “so refreshing than seeing these 20-something girls.”
Bachelor in Paradise season 9 was particularly messy with all three of the couples who ended the series together breaking up within weeks after the finale aired. Plus, fans seemed to notice the lack of real connections throughout season 9.
“When you have to post about past couples because all of the couples from the previous season are falling apart before our eyes,” one fan wrote in the comments of a photo showing former contestants’ Kenny Braasch and Mari Pepin’s wedding day.
Another fan jokingly said, “Yes we have to show off those rings somehow since none of our current cast made it past the 6 months.”
“The whole season was swap around. There were no real connections and everyone scrambled at the end,” chimed in another commenter.
The criticism also comes on the heels of The Golden Bachelor’s first season receiving glowing reviews as Gerry and his fianceé, Theresa Nist, prepare to get married on Thursday, January 4.
Regardless of what the fans think, ABC has yet to officially announce a cancelation for Bachelor in Paradise. However, there might be hope for a Golden Paradise, according to executive producers of the show.
“I’m here for Golden Paradise,” Bachelor producer Claire Freeland said during a Producers Guild FYC panel in December 2023.
“Normalize dating at any age, being desirable at any age, still having urges and being a sexual creature at any age,” Claire added during the panel. “[It] is something I think that we should be listening to and why it’s a big part of why it’s so successful and people are really responding to it.”
