The Bachelor Pledges to Address Diversity Issues

Soon after a several times of expressing really minor, the govt producers behind The Bachelor are acknowledging the get the job done they need to have to do. 

In a joint statement posted to the Bachelor Country website, the EPs, which includes host Chris Harrison, pledge to make “significant alterations” to handle the franchise’s challenges. 

“We are enthusiastic to transfer ahead with both equally Matt James as the new Bachelor and Clare Crawley as our upcoming Bachelorette. We acknowledge our accountability for the lack of representation of folks of coloration on our franchise and pledge to make significant alterations to handle this problem shifting ahead. We are having optimistic methods to broaden diversity in our solid, in our employees, and most importantly, in the relationships that we clearly show on television. We can and will do superior to replicate the earth all over us and clearly show all of its stunning like tales.” 

Matt James, who was initially solid as a contestant for Clare’s year right before it obtained delayed, was announced as the upcoming Bachelor this early morning, earning him the very first Black male lead in the franchise’s history. The 39 12 months-aged Clare will also make history as the oldest Bachelorette. 

On Monday, a petition was introduced to call for extra diversity and extra guidance for BIPOC in the franchise, and had almost ninety,000 signatures by Friday. 

The petition showcased thirteen phone calls to action, beginning with a desire to solid a Black lead for year 25 of The Bachelor. Until eventually the announcement that Matt had been solid early Friday early morning, ABC, Warner Bros, Chris Harrison, and creator Mike Fleiss had not yet acknowledged the petition or criticism from Rachel Lindsay, the only other Black lead in the show’s history. 

ABC executives have been making statements about the show’s lack of diversity for a long time, but this is the very first statement the clearly show has built of this kind. 

The clearly show designs to resume filming for Clare Crawley’s year of The Bachelorette this summer time, followed by filming for Matt’s year of The Bachelor.