Is ABC canceling 'The Bachelor'? Top five choices revealed by exec
"The Bachelor" may not get any more dates in the future after the show's executive producer hinted at some behind-the-scenes troubles for the ABC series.
Showrunner Mike Fleiss told fans on Twitter on Aug. 31 to "stand by for shocking new regarding #thebachelor." He followed this with, "Tv trivia...Has a broadcast network ever canceled its No. 1 show.???"
Fleiss sent out two more tweets on about "shocking news" about "The Bachelor" Sept. 1, but no additional news came.
"Good Morning America" also sent out a tweet about an announcement regarding "The Bachelor," but the tweet has since been deleted. An ABC spokesperson confirmed to CNN that an announcement will come when the network is "ready."
When asked about the lack of announcements on the social networking site, Fleiss replied, "Wasn't me..."
While there's no official statement from the network yet, fans are already speculating on whether or not "The Bachelor" will be canceled.
The show remains one of the most watched shows on ABC. The March finale received viewership that was up by 11 percent from "The Bachelor's" last season. This rating is for adult viewers aged 18–49 years old. The show's viewership rose by 15 percent for adults aged 18–34. The network finished in third place among the four big TV networks in the United States last season.
Despite these numbers, it is still possible that ABC could ax "The Bachelor." The Wall Street Journal reported that recent budget cuts at Disney–ABC Television Group will result in a reduction of staff members, as well as a restructuring of the company hierarchy.
The report emphasized that ABC — the production, news and local studios — will receive most of the budget cuts.
Despite the possibly troubling fate of the show, fans continue to anticipate the announcement of this season's bachelor-to-be, as "Bachelor in Paradise" is about to come to a close.
Fleiss has narrowed down the choices for the next bachelor to the following: Chase McNary, Eric Bigger, Ben Zorn, Wells Adams and Peter Kraus.
Pending official announcements, "The Bachelor" is set to return to ABC in January 2018.
