‘The Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Fates Revealed at ABC

The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise will live to see another rose ceremony. Both series will be returning for another season, ABC announced Tuesday, marking Season 28 of the flagship Bachelor Nation show and Season 9 of the summer spinoff. Neither season has had a premiere date announced at this point. 

It will be a new chapter for both The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise, as they will be the first franchise seasons produced without creator Mike Fleiss, who stepped away from Bachelor Nation in March following allegations of misconduct. Fleiss’ final season of The Bachelor had concluded a week before as Zach Shallcross got engaged to Kaity Biggar.

The Bachelorette is set to premiere its 20th season on June 26, as The Bachelor Season 27 contestant Charity Lawson takes her role as the newest Bachelorette. Lawson opened up about becoming the fourth woman of color to become Bachelorette in an interview with Entertainment Tonight in March, calling it “huge” for her and for the franchise. “To step into this role as the fourth woman of color and the second monoracial African American Bachelorette, it’s huge,” she explained. “I recognize that, although it is my journey, it’s so much bigger than me, because I’m carrying along a whole community of people who are looking up [to me] and [I’m] representing that as well. [I’m] definitely not taking it for granted. I’m really excited and I’m very fortunate to be the fourth.”

Lawson went into filming her season fresh off of her breakup from Shallcross, but ABC’s newest leading lady said she “already processed and worked through” their split. “I definitely am coming in here with an open mind, open heart, ready to fall back into love, hopefully,” she said. “I took the time off to really work on myself and even be more prepared with what I’m looking for, so I definitely am ready.” The Bachelorette said she plans to be open with her emotions and how she expresses them throughout her season, and hopes her men can reciprocate. “It’s scary sometimes putting all of this out on the line for all to see, but the purpose and the goal is to ultimately find love,” she said. “I think one way to get there is to be open and honest.”