We Finally Know When The Bachelorette Will Air

Little more than two months ago, The Bachelor franchise revealed that Clare Crawley, a 38-year-old hair stylist from Sacramento, California, would be 2020's leading lady on The Bachelorette. However, with the rapid spread of COVID-19, by mid-March, it was announced that all production was being put on hold. "With the rapidly changing events related to COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution, Warner Bros. Television Group is halting production on some of our 70+ series and pilots currently filming or about to begin," a statement from the company that produces The Bachelorette for ABC read (via Vulture). And with this announcement came many rumors that this year's season could be canceled altogether. 

But fear not dear Bachelorette fans! The show is coming back. Speaking to Variety, ABC's reality chief Rob Mills said, "Clare's season is happening one hundred percent." So now the only question is when will it air?

According to Mills, The Bachelorette is likely to air this fall, with the aim of shooting over the summer. But that could change. "We've looked at everything — are travel restrictions going to ease up? And it just doesn't look like anything is changing anytime soon, and what we would rather do is start getting the season underway, sooner rather than later," Mills said. "As of right now, the plan is to get a great location that has a ton of space where everybody could safely be together and we can still have great dates that still feel big and romantic, and we would shoot the entire season there." 

The producers, who are already back at work, are currently navigating what the series and shooting might look like during, and after the pandemic. "I'm sure for Clare and the men she's dating, it's going to be a little bit different," Mills admitted. "We'll have to lean into that a little bit, but hopefully not too much." 

It's worth noting all contestants and crew will be tested for the virus before beginning taping. They will then be quarantined while shooting the show. What other differences fans might notice, well, guess we'll have to wait until fall, at the soonest, to find out.