Fun times yesterday as the rumors I’d heard at the end of last week became a reality. As we know, Clayton’s season of the “Bachelor” is filming right now and will start airing the first Monday in January, as has been the norm I believe for the last 12 or 13 “Bachelor” seasons. However, if you saw my social media posts yesterday, there is a change coming after that. The next season of the show to air after Clayton’s will NOT be a “Bachelorette” season. It will be another “Bachelor” season. Normally “Bachelorette” would start filming the week of Clayton’s finale, film mid-March to be beginning of May, and start airing at end of May/beginning of June. That is now changing – at least for 2022. The next “Bachelor” season will begin filming around the 3rd week of February. That’s what I know right now. Heard the rumblings last week, reported it to you yesterday, then once I put it out there, got a few emails yesterday confirming it 100% that that’s what we’re getting. So knowing they film towards the end of February, and it’s a normal 7-8 week shoot, means filming will be done around mid to late April. No other outlet is reporting this, so, there’s nothing to add about when that season will air. But I think it’s safe to assume it’ll begin airing sometime in May. Basically, it’s just replacing a “Bachelorette” season that we’d normally see airing at that time.
Now, what does this mean going forward? I know a lot of you have questions, but again, I just found out about this yesterday. I don’t have every answer already in 24 hours. All I know for 100% fact is after Clayton’s season will be another “Bachelor” season. They are currently casting women for it now, and it starts filming around the 3rd week of February. When ABC will make this announcement themselves or whatever, I have no idea. We’re also still almost 4 months away from that filming starting. They haven’t chosen a “Bachelor” yet and probably won’t until the last minute like they always do. They will cast the women first, then settle on a lead. Everyone’s got their guesses on who it’ll be, but that’s all they are at this point – guesses. I don’t have the slightest clue who they’re picking. It’s been almost 15 years since they’ve chosen someone that no one knows, so again, I think it’s safe to assume it’ll be someone from the franchise. But hey, maybe they surprise us. I’ve heard nothing on that front considering I just confirmed it yesterday.
As for what this means for going forward for the franchise, nothing is set in stone. All we know for sure is what the next 2 seasons are going to be – Clayton’s and then whoever they choose as the “Bachelor” after him. That’s it. Hell, this franchise hasn’t even officially told you Clayton is the next “Bachelor,” so I don’t expect this news of another “Bachelor” season after his to come for a while. But that’s why I spoil. To tell you stuff before it’s announced.
So right now, we know the next two seasons. Clayton will air in its regular spot from January through mid March, and then the next “Bachelor,” knowing that filming is end of February through mid/late April, will probably air come May in replace of when the “Bachelorette” usually would. I haven’t heard anything about Paradise. Doesn’t mean there won’t be one, doesn’t mean there is. I’m just saying I haven’t heard either way. So after this next “Bachelor” season airs, I can only tell you what I’m hearing, which is not to be taken as 100% fact. But what I’m hearing is that they might be making this the new norm. 2 Bachelor seasons and 1 Bachelorette per calendar year. I don’t see them giving up their coveted “Bachelor airs the first Monday of the New Year” slot. That is NOT confirmed, so all the aggregators out there do not need to source me that it is. Once I hear more, or get any confirmation of anything, you’ll be the first to know. But for 2022, we’re gonna have 2 Bachelors that we know will air back-to-back (Clayton’s then whoever they choose), and I believe the “Bachelorette” will shoot on the same schedule it has the last 2 summers like Clare/Tayshia & Michelle’s, which is shoot in mid/late July through end Aug/beginning of September, and air October thru December.
As we move into these seasons and the show starts officially announcing things (or if I hear beforehand like this one), we’ll start to know more. But this show has been terrible at transparency and making announcements, so don’t expect anything from them anytime soon. Like I said, they haven’t even acknowledged Clayton as their next Bachelor outside of Jesse Palmer’s IG post. So them telling everyone another “Bachelor” season will follow Clayton’s and air in the spring doesn’t seem like it’s coming anytime soon. This is strictly a prediction on my part, but I have a feeling Paradise might be done. It didn’t do well this past season, the format is getting old and tired, and…well, that’s just my prediction. I could be dead wrong but just looking at the overall picture, filming schedules and what not, and IF 2 Bachelor seasons and 1 Bachelorette season per calendar year becomes the norm, I almost think they have to get rid of Paradise. And if they do decide to keep it, I think you need to make some major tweaks to the format.
So lets say that’s what they do and you’ve got back to back Bachelor seasons that air Jan thru March and May thru end of July. Then your Bachelorette season airs in October thru December. That still means your filming schedule is:
Bachelor 1 films Sept thru November the year prior (airs first Monday in Jan)
Bachelor 2 films Feb thur April (airs sometime in May)
Bachelorette films July thru end Aug/beg of Sept (airs Oct thru Dec)
Basically means there will be Bachelor stuff either filming OR airing about 42 to 44 weeks out of the year. Which has been pretty standard for them. Could they still film Paradise for 3 weeks in June every year? Sure. They did it this year. I just personally think they need to either get rid of it, or, think of another spin off show to freshen things up. But hey, that’s just me.
Your Episode 2 recap begins on Page 2…
