The Bachelor season 28 has been announced by ABC, and there are many details to know about it. The Bachelor premiered in 2002, and has since become one of the most popular reality dating competition shows. Its spin-offs, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise are also highly successful. In addition, the much-anticipated senior dating show, The Golden Bachelor, will premiere in fall 2023. Other franchise series have included Bachelor Pad, The Bachelor Winter Games, The Bachelor Presents: Listen to Your Heart, and The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons Ever!
When it comes to successful marriages, The Bachelor‘s actually the least successful series in the Bachelor franchise. Only one lead, Sean Lowe, married the woman he proposed to on the show, Catherine Giudici. Two other couples, Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell, and Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar, are currently together. Matt and Rachael have been dating since they reconciled after his season in April 2021. Zach and Kaity have been engaged since he proposed during his finale, which aired in March 2023. It’s time to share facts about The Bachelor season 28.
The Bachelor Season 28 News
Before The Bachelor season 28 airs, The Bachelorette season 20 (starring Charity Lawson) will premiere on June 26, 2023, while Bachelor in Paradise season 9 will air in fall 2023. Based on previous seasons, there’s a high probability that the new Bachelor could come from Charity’s group of men.
One of the biggest changes to The Bachelor in season 28 is the exit of show creator, Mike Fleiss. Mike announced his departure from the franchise the day after The Bachelor season 27 aired in March. Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich, and Bennett Graebner will take his place as franchise executive producers and show-runners. Although Mike has been associated with the Bachelor franchise for over 20 years, he hasn’t been involved in the day-to-day operations of the shows in about 10 years.
Still, many blame Mike for the problematic issues with the shows. This includes former lead Juan Pablo Galavis, who, in a tweet, accused him of being the, “mastermind behind everything. Racism, bullying and creating a disrespectful work environment.” In addition, former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe has accused Mike of hating women. It will be interesting to see what, if any, changes happen with The Bachelor season 28, now that he’s no longer part of the franchise.
Is The Bachelor Season 28 Confirmed?
According to Variety, ABC confirmed The Bachelor season 28 in May. The network renewed the series, along with Bachelor in Paradise season 9. The Golden Bachelor was also announced at the time.
The Bachelor Season 28’s Potential Release Date
The Bachelor season 28 doesn’t have an official release date yet. However, it makes sense that a new Bachelor season will most likely air in January 2024. Ever since Jason Mesnick’s season in 2009, the show has premiered in January. In 2022 and 2023, ABC scheduled The Bachelor in January, followed by The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise.
In 2022, Clayton Echard’s season aired from January 3 to March 15, followed by Rachel Recchia and Gabby Windey’s Bachelorette season from July 11 to September 20. Then, Bachelor in Paradise aired from September 27 to November 22. This schedule will repeat in 2023, with Zach and Charity’s seasons, followed by Bachelor in Paradise season 9. This works well, as The Bachelor and The Bachelorette constants can then head to Paradise. ABC will most likely stick to this schedule in 2024, beginning with The Bachelor season 28 in January.
The Bachelor Season 28 Lead Predictions
Although The Bachelor season 28 lead won’t be announced for months, there are a lot of great possibilities who could take on the role. For years, Bachelor Nation has been outraged about the lack of diversity in the franchise. The casting of Clayton and Zach greatly upset fans, who were very vocal about their preference for a person of color in the role. They hoped Rodney Mathews (The Bachelorette season 18) or Nate Mitchell (The Bachelorette season 19) might take the lead. Ethan Kang, who would be the first Asian American Bachelor, was another popular choice from The Bachelorette season 19.
People have also been asking for the first Bachelor from the LGBTQ+ community. Perhaps the franchise could look beyond its alums for an unknown, or even a celebrity who could take on the role. Whatever happens, Bachelor Nation is ready for something different, especially since all the previous Bachelors have been white men. The exceptions are Juan Pablo and Matt. In the past, many Bachelor stars have been chosen from The Bachelorette seasons that have aired directly before them. Therefore, it’s probable that the leading man will be someone from Charity’s season, whom Bachelor Nation hasn’t even met yet.
Although The Bachelor season 28 is a great opportunity for change, there’s always the chance that the show will choose to play it safe with another lead like Clayton or Zach again. It’ll be interesting to see which new men from Charity’s season have the potential to take on the role. The franchise could even go back to a much earlier season to find a leading man, as it did when Arie Luyendyk Jr. took the lead in 2018, six years after he was the runner-up on Emily Maynard’s Bachelorette season in 2012.
The Bachelor Season 28 Cast
Although The Bachelor season 28 cast won’t be announced for months, it’s almost certain that Jesse Palmer will return as the host. In addition, Bachelor Nation alumni sometimes make appearances during group dates, or if a friend is the leading man. Occasionally, a Bachelor Nation member might appear on another season for a second chance at love, like when Tahzjuan Hawkins appeared on a group date on Zach’s season. She then tried to join his group of women in order to win his heart, but he said no.
The Bachelor season 28 will most likely follow the same format as previous seasons. However, with a significant behind-the-scenes shake-up after Mike’s exit, there’s a good chance that the overall atmosphere of the show could change. Zach’s season saw a shift away from drama, with more of a focus on the love stories. Hopefully, season 28 will do this as well. While the specifics aren’t known, one thing is certain: The Bachelor season 28 has the potential to be the most dramatic yet.
Sources: Variety, Juan Pablo Galavis/Twitter
