ABC Announces The Bachelor Season 30 for 2027 After Hiatus

ABC announced that season 30 of The Bachelor will premiere in 2027, marking the franchise's return after a yearlong hiatus prompted by recent scandals, including the abrupt cancellation of Taylor Frankie Paul's planned season of The Bachelorette.

The network had scheduled Paul's season, the 22nd installment of the female-led spin-off, to air in March 2026. Paul, a 31-year-old reality star from Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, was cast as a crossover lead to attract new viewers amid declining ratings. However, three days before the March 22 premiere, ABC pulled the already-filmed episodes following the leak of 2023 footage showing Paul throwing chairs at her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, with their young child nearby. At the time, police in Draper and West Jordan were investigating fresh allegations of domestic incidents between the couple.

A spokesperson for Disney Entertainment Television stated that the decision prioritized supporting Paul and her family. Paul, a mother of three, had pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault in connection with the 2023 incident, but the charge is set to reduce to a misdemeanor in August 2026 if she avoids further legal trouble. In...