The Bachelor has been a staple on ABC for nearly 25 years. The reality dating show premiered in 2002. It rarely ended in happily-ever-afters, but fans always come back for more. However, the fate of the entire franchise was in jeopardy after the scandal surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul. Her season of The Bachelorette was yanked from the schedule. Keep reading to find out what ABC has decided to do with the popular franchise.
Trouble In Paradise
The last five years or so have been difficult for ABC’s Bachelor franchise. Matt James was named the first Black lead in the show’s history in 2021 but his season was rife with drama and eventually resulted in longtime host Chris Harrison leaving the franchise amid racism claims. Fans wondered if the show could ever recover.
Then came Joey Graziadei. His season of The Bachelor was one of the most successful in ratings and results. He is still engaged to his final rose winner, Kelsey Anderson. They’re planning a 2027 wedding. The next Bachelor had big shoes to fill. Unfortunately, Grant Ellis’ season was another dud.
He was a contestant on Jenn Tran’s Bachelorette season, which was also a disappointment. He didn’t make it very far and viewers never really connected with him. The Bachelor and The Bachelorette were put on pause after Grant and Jenn’s seasons.
ABC hoped popular TikTok star Taylor Frankie Paul could revive the franchise as the next Bachelorette. She was already familiar to reality TV viewers after appearing on several seasons of Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
However, a shocking video of a 2023 domestic violence incident between Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen, was leaked days before The Bachelorette was supposed to premiere.
The video came amid a new investigation into an alleged incident between the former couple in February 2026. ABC yanked The Bachelorette from the schedule after the video came out, sparking major speculation that the franchise was over for good.
ABC Reveals Fate Of The Bachelor
Hulu hosted its annual Get Real event on Wednesday, April 22. The event features upcoming content for Hulu and ABC, which are both owned by Disney. ABC has a lot of exciting things coming, including a new season of Dancing With The Stars and a spinoff of the popular reality dance competition. The fate of The Bachelor was revealed, as well.
Viewers won’t see a new season of The Bachelor this year. However, the dating show will return in 2027. A new season of Bachelor In Paradise will air next year, as well. ABC executive Rob Mills teased what fans can expect.
“I do think better days are ahead for the franchise,” he said. A lead for The Bachelor‘s milestone Season 30 hasn’t been announced yet but Rob Mills said the network is “open to anything,” per Deadline.
What About Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette Season?
The fate of The Bachelor and Bachelor In Paradise has been decided. But what fans really want to know is if they will ever see Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette. The D.A. in Utah declined to file any charges against her or Dakota Mortensen for the incident that happened in February or previous incidents from 2024 and 2025.
But according to Rob Mills, the network hasn’t decided whether they will air Season 22 of The Bachelorette. “We’re sort of taking it a day at a time. I think her season is a wonderful season, by Bachelor standards. If it gets seen, I’m sure people will absolutely enjoy it,” he said.
If it doesn’t air on ABC, it could air on Hulu. Tell us in the comments your thoughts on the franchise.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger
