Is The Bachelor Filming Back To Back Seasons?

Following the major racism controversy "The Bachelor" faced in the latter half of Matt James' season (via USA Today), ABC decided to switch up the normal airing schedule. The franchise scheduled two seasons of "The Bachelorette" starring Jame's contestants Katie Thurston and Michelle Young back to back (via Us Magazine). Thurston's season wrapped at the top of August, while Young's season premiered in mid-October. After months of waiting for Bachelor news, we finally know who our Season 26 star will be. According to Women's Health, Clayton Echard, who is currently starring in Michelle Young's season is our latest leading man. Echard reportedly began filming his season, which is set to air in early 2022.

Though a new season of "The Bachelorette" typically follows the close of the most recent "The Bachelor" season, ABC may just continue the developing structure of airing back-to-back seasons of the same series.

According to resident Bachelor Nation sleuth Reality Steve's Twitter, ABC is breaking away from tradition and filming two seasons of "The Bachelor" in a row. He tweeted, "There will be another Bachelor season that airs after Clayton's season. Starts filming mid to end of February. Will air, most likely, in the Bachelorette spot which is May-July. Hearing this could be the new norm moving forward." Reality Steve added that "The Bachelorette" might permanently move to a July through September filming schedule and October through December airing schedule.

Considering ABC typically selects the newest "Bachelor" from the previous "Bachelorette" season, this leaves Bachelor Nation in the dark about who this new leading man may be. Reality Steve tweeted, "You guys, we're 4 months away basically from the next Bachelor season filming. I just got it confirmed like an hour ago. They haven't chosen who it is yet, so no, I don't know who it is. No one does. They pretty much always cast the women before the lead" (via Twitter). According to the internet personality's official website, casting for the women is currently underway, meaning ABC is likely to select the Season 27 star very soon.