When Can Fans Actually Expect the Next Season of ‘The Bachelor’?
Several months ago, following the disastrous, painful, and traumatizing finale of Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette, the network opted to table the series for the time being. The pause, while not a decision made just because of Tran’s season, allowed fans to breathe a sigh of relief. Many hoped the network would go back to the drawing board. Apparently, it has, just not in the way fans hoped. While viewers thought they were getting a break from The Bachelorette, they really aren’t. Yesterday, through Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, the network announced plans to place The Bachelor on hold in favor of a The Bachelorette season featuring Taylor Frankie Paul. The decision is a controversial one. Now, fans are wondering when exactly The Bachelor might return.
Why is ‘The Bachelor’ on pause?
The Bachelor season 30 is officially paused. Fans learned that they would not be seeing a new bachelor this week when Alex Cooper announced a “change of plans” for the network. Instead of finding a leading man, ABC has opted to give convicted felon and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, Frankie Taylor Paul, a season of The Bachelorette. Paul’s season will replace The Bachelor, though the change doesn’t seem to be a permanent one.
While it’s unclear what factors contributed to the decision, it appears that the team behind the series struggled to find a suitable male lead. They are still, apparently, actively searching for a lead. That makes sense, considering the men of Jenn Tran’s season were largely unlikable if not downright problematic. The few likable contestants from her season had already locked in to Bachelor in Paradise or left reality TV behind. In short, the casting team couldn’t pull from that pond. With some extra time, they may be able to find a suitable gentlemen from outside of Bachelor Nation. It seems plausible that Paul’s interest and their inability to cast the next season quickly ultimately led to the decision to pause the series.
When can fans expect to see the series return?
While The Bachelor season 30 is on pause, fans can expect it to return eventually. The season is ordered. Despite the pause, it doesn’t look like ABC is anywhere near ready to let go of the dating competition. In fact, casting is still happening. According to an active casting call, the team behind The Bachelor is actively seeking out both a lead and contestants. There is one big issue, though. Unlike other casting calls, no actual dates are mentioned.
So, when could it be returning? According to Deadline, it is possible that Season 30 of The Bachelor could be included in the 2026 TV schedule. However, they suggest an early 2027 premiere is more likely. A 2027 premiere date would give ABC some breathing room in its scheduling and allow the team behind The Bachelor to revamp the show. Still, it feels like it might be a bit too far off to hold viewer interest. Assuming Taylor Frankie Paul’s season slides into the timeslot vacated by The Bachelor, there won’t be another Bachelor Nation show on until at least the summer. We feel that season 30 could possibly be squeezed in late spring 2026, but only time will tell.
What is the next Bachelor Nation show to air?
While fans won’t see a male lead find love on TV this winter, plenty of other Bachelor Nation shows will keep fans busy while they wait for season 30. Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette is highly anticipated, but it’s not the next show on the docket. The Golden Bachelor, which is shaping up to be nearly as controversial as Paul’s assignment as the next bachelorette, will air before anything else.
Mel Owens, who made ageist and sexist comments ahead of filming season 2 of The Golden Bachelor, will take the stage next. Season 2 of the competition will premiere on September 24. The premiere date is almost exactly two years after ABC introduced the “golden” version of the beloved dating competition. Season 1 had fans watching Gerry Turner, a retired restaurateur from Indiana, looking for love. Turner married and then divorced Theresa Nist, the woman he met on the show. The Golden Bachelorette premiered in 2024. Fans watched Joan Vassos, who withdrew from The Golden Bachelor, find love with Chock Chapple.
