ABC Is Strangely Quiet About Fate of ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette’

After ABC renewed a chunk of its reality lineup, the network is staying quiet on the futures of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

Although the franchise remains a staple on ABC, the duo are nowhere to be found on the 2025-26 schedule.

The Bachelorette was previously pulled from ABC’s summer schedule, with the Disney-owned network saying they were “pausing” production on Season 22, but a late-year return was not yet out of the question. According to The Hollywood Reporter, both The Bachelor and The Bachelorette remain in limbo. New seasons of The Bachelor usually don’t air until January, with filming happening in the fall. The network still has time to renew the dating series if it wants to keep on the regular schedule.

Earlier this year, The Bachelor showrunners Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner left the franchise after allegations of “toxic” and “hostile” behavior on set. They both have since denied the claims through their attorney. What this means for the future of either show is unknown, but sources say no decisions have been made as of yet. But the franchise right now is focused on new seasons of Bachelor in Paradise and The Golden Bachelor, airing this summer and fall, respectively.

“The uber Bachelor machinery is going 100 miles an hour at ABC,” Disney Television Group president Craig Erwich told THR. “We’re getting ready to launch Bachelor in Paradise, which for the first time will have the Goldens as well as the young people. I was just in a meeting with [Walt Disney Television unscripted head] Rob Mills, and he was telling me that the Golden Bachelor people are staying up much later and partying even more than the younger people. I haven’t seen anything, but I anticipate a very, very good installment of Bachelor in Paradise. And then after that, we have The Golden Bachelor, and we’ve got a really special guy with Mel Owens.”

“The Bachelor is no different than any other show,” Erwich continued. “You have to have the exact right casting. You have to have the exact right people. We’re talking tremendous care with a very singular and beloved franchise, and we’ll continue to roll those out as they’re ready.”

Even though Erwich confirmed that neither show has a showrunner, it does sound like there aren’t any plans to end The Bachelor and The Bachelorette any time soon. Things are just taking a little bit longer because of some setbacks. It might just be a matter of when ABC eventually renews the two shows, but at least there is Bachelor in Paradise returning for Season 10 on July 7, while The Golden Bachelor returns for Season 2 this fall.