With the recent success of the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor, ABC is set to add The Golden Bachelorette to the Bachelor franchise this year, with additional spin-offs already being considered. The show’s producers recently opened up about their desire to add a LGBTQ version of the show to the franchise, as well as possibly doing a “Golden” version of Bachelor in Paradise!
ABC recently confirmed that it will, indeed, be doing a ‘Golden Bachelorette’ season; however Jason Ehrlich, one of the executive producers for ‘The Golden Bachelorette,’ told The Hollywood Reporter that casting for the female-led version of the show “will be different” than what was done for ‘Golden Bachelor.’
“ … it will be almost like doing it for the first time all over again,” he told the outlet. “What is it going to be like with 20-some older men living in the Bachelor Mansion? We don’t know, but I’m pretty sure it will be different and interesting. And that’s what makes me want to watch.”
Although a lead for ‘The Golden Bachelorette’ has yet to be announced, there are a number of fan favorites to come out of Gerry’s season, including runner-up Leslie Fhima.
Executive producers have also expressed interest in giving ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ the ‘Golden’ treatment at some point, claiming they know the audience wants it to happen.
“We’d love to do that eventually,” Jason told Variety. “I mean, how fun would it be to see single men and women in their 60s and 70s on the beach or in the Bachelor pad or somewhere, hanging out and falling in love? We’d love to do that and hope we get the opportunity.”
While ‘Bachelor in Paradise’–- which will celebrate 10 years on the air this year-– has featured members of the LGBTQ+ community, executive producers said the long-running dating franchise could also see its first gay lead in the near future.
“We hope to get the opportunity to do that,” Jason said. “The most wonderful thing is that love is universal and so is the frustration of not finding love. We’d love the opportunity to tell all kinds of people’s stories.”
“During my tenure on the show, the two spin-offs that have been pitched to me the most frequently are a ‘Bachelor’ for older people and a gay ‘Bachelor,’” said executive producer Bennett Graebner. “We checked one of those boxes. We’re talking about checking out the other box.”
Though the ‘Bachelor’ franchise has historically cast singles in their 20s and early 30s, executive producers said they are also open to the idea of casting individuals who are a bit older, but not yet in ‘Golden Bachelor/Bachelorette’ territory.
“We’ve talked a lot about like what a Bachelor or Bachelorette looks like in their 30s or 40s as opposed to someone in their 20s,” Claire Freehand, executive producer for ‘The Golden Bachelorette,’ told Variety. “I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility.”
“We have talked about it and we’re open to anything … ,” Bennett added.
Season 28 of ‘The Bachelor’ is currently airing on ABC, while casting for Season 21 of The Bachelorette is underway. T
The first season of ‘The Golden Bachelorette’ is slated to air this fall.
RELATED STORY: Former ‘Bachelor’ Host Chris Harrison Says He’s “Proud” to Have Left Franchise, As It Had Become a “Very Toxic Situation”
(Photos: ABC; Instagram)
I really want to see 30-50 range! Seeing 21 year olds desperate to get married is incredibly unrelatable!