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‘Bachelor’ Producers Making ‘One Bad Decision After Another’ — and ‘Fans Are Sick of It!’
Fans have fallen out of love with The Bachelor dating franchise — and a source exclusively tells Life & Style the troubled reality TV empire is on the verge of total collapse as viewers tune out in droves.
“Producers seem to be making one bad decision after another — and the fans are sick of it,” the insider says.
“The numbers continue to drop, and bosses are desperately trying to figure out how to climb out of this hole — before the whole thing goes kaput!”
The latest backlash was triggered by The Bachelorette’s heartbroken Jenn Tran having to watch her recorded proposal to Devin Strader on the live season finale — a month after he ended their engagement in a 15-minute phone call and allegedly ghosted her.
Fans were furious — with one branding the show “evil” and accusing it of trying to capitalize on the tearful 26-year-old’s pain.
A different critic bashed the episode as “not cute or funny,” and another demanded ABC “cancel the whole franchise!”
But according to the source, the damning reaction is only one reason the franchise is being viewed by industry insiders as “on its way out” — its viewership is vanishing.
“The ratings just aren’t what they used to be — and that’s ultimately what matters.”
“They keep grasping at stunts to try and reel people in, but it just doesn’t seem to be working,” the insider says.
“Longtime fans are getting bored and disillusioned — and younger viewers just aren’t interested.”
“This really could be the final rose, and the powers that be know they’ve got to do something.”
“The Bachelor — and sister shows The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise — have been dying on the vine for a while, with budgets slashed and prime locations tossed.”
“The empire’s handling of diversity issues has also been heavily criticized — even after they gave longtime host Chris Harrison the boot amid a racism scandal after he defended contestant Rachael Kirkconnell for attending a ‘plantation-themed’ sorority party in college.”
“Bosses seemed to think firing Chris would solve all their problems, but it didn’t,” the insider explains.
Now, Chris, 53, who was replaced by Bachelor alum Jesse Palmer after 19 years at the helm, is watching the show’s struggles with “glee,” the source says.
“Chris is still very bitter about how they treated him and is saying they made a huge mistake by axing him.”
“In his view, that was the beginning of the end!”
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