NEARLY four years after The Bachelor’s 25th season premiered, producers are acknowledging their past mistakes – and vowing to do better.
Producers from Bachelor Nation have finally spoken out about the franchise’s diversity and race issues, including the controversy surrounding the show’s 25th season, which featured Matt James, The Bachelor’s first Black male lead.
Two of Bachelor Nation’s executive producers, Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner, spoke candidly to The Los Angeles Times about the franchise’s history of racial controversies and lack of diversity.
“We didn’t have a Black lead in this franchise for 15 years, and that’s inexcusable,” Bennett Graebner told The Los Angeles Times.
The finale of that season was the darkest day I’ve had on this franchise
Bennet Graebner
“It created a vicious cycle, and it’s taken a lot of work to get back to a place where we feel at least we’re working for the positive.”
One of their biggest regrets is their actions before, during, and after The Bachelor’s 25th season, which featured Matt James as the show’s first Black male lead.
“I’m going to be really frank — we let Matt down,” Graebner said.
“That season went wrong on so many levels. We did not protect him as we should have.”
“The finale of that season was the darkest day I’ve had on this franchise.”
“Here was this great Black man, and we should have been celebrating his love story.”
“Instead, what we saw was a man burdened and overwhelmed by issues of racism.”
“It was really sad for me personally,” Graebner added.
Graebner was referring to the controversy surrounding contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who ended up with, and as of June 2024, is still in a relationship with James.
Along with photos of Kirkconnell’s attendance at an antebellum, plantation-themed fraternity party, several of her old classmates alleged that she had a history of racist and offensive behavior and commentary in high school and college.
The incident led then-Bachelor host Chris Harrison to defend Kirkconnell during an interview with Rachel Lindsay, the franchise’s first Black lead, and first Black Bachelorette, against social media’s“woke police.”
Harrison ended up stepping down from his two-decades-long hosting duties following the interview.
“It’s hard to say out loud, that people of color didn’t see themselves represented, that they did not see The Bachelor franchise as a safe place,” Graebner said.
Still, diversity in the franchise’s lead and supporting cast is clearly lacking, which both producers acknowledge.
The Bachelor’s 28th season, featuring contestant Rachel Nance vying for Joey Graziadei’s heart, is a prime example.
Nance, whose father is Black and Arab, and whose mother is Filipino, revealed she received “hundreds” of hateful messages following her Hometown episode on The Bachelor’s Women Tell All episode.
“I got a lot of hateful messages … calling me the N-word or jungle Asian, all because I got a rose,” Nance revealed.
“It’s sad because my parents really enjoyed the Hometown episode, and for them to see people attacking our culture and attacking me — I’ve been in this scenario before, but this was like a whole new level.”
“Hundreds of people messaging me. TikToks of people throwing up when [Joey and I] were kissing,” she added.
“That was another missed opportunity for us,” Freeland revealed.
“Our intention was to bring light toward what Rachel was going through. But we have to do better,” she added.
Graebner and Freeland said casting another Black Bachelor is a “priority.”
They also revealed the entire production team now has access to more resources, including two licensed therapists and a diversity and inclusion consultant, Kira Banks.
“We’re not always going to get it right. We’re going to make mistakes as we move forward.”
“But we’re not going to shy away from difficult conversations,” she added.
The Bachelorette’s 21st season, which premieres on July 8, 2024, notably features the franchise’s first Asian lead, Jenn Tran, who is Vietnamese.
Fans were quick to point out, however, that the group of men vying for Tran’s heart still lacked diversity, noting the lack of Asian representation.
“That’s on us. We didn’t do what we needed to do,” Graebner said.
“Our hope is that they will see Jenn and realize this is a safe space.”
“We’re not saying it will solve and fix everything. But it is a step,” he added.
Who's on Season 21 of The Bachelorette?
The Bachelor contestant, Jenn Tran, was recently announced as the next Bachelorette. Below are the men who are vying for her heart.
– Aaron, 29, from Tulsa, Oklahoma
– Austin, 28, from San Diego, California
– Brendan, 29, from Vancouver, Canada
– Brett, 28, from Manheim, Pennsylvania
– Brian, 32, from Boynton Beach, Florida
– Corbin, 25, from Los Angeles, Calfornia
– Dakota, 27, from Paradise Valley, Arizona
– Devin, 27, from Houston, Texas
– Dylan, 24, from Elk Grove, California
– Grant, 30, from Houston, Texas
– Hakeem, 29, from Schaumburg, Illinois
– Hassan, 28, from Denver, Colorado
– Jahaan, 28, from New York, New York
– Jeremy, 29, from Fairfield, Connecticut
– John, 25, from Delray Beach, Florida
– Jonathan H, 24, from Oxford, Massachusetts
– Jonathan J, 27, from Los Angeles, California
– Kevin, 35, from Denver, Colorado
– Marcus, 31, from Raleigh, North Carolina
– Marvin, 28, from Santa Monica, California
– Matt, 27, from Atlanta, Georgia
– Moze, 25, from Albany, New York
– Ricky, 28, from Miami, Florida
– Sam M, 26, from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
– Sam N, 25, from Carlsbad, California
– Spencer, 30, from Dallas, Texas
– Thomas, 31, from Tucker, Georgia
– Tomas, 26, from Toronto, Canada
Graebner also had some choice words for the franchise’s existing fanbase, some of whom may not be on board with their push for more diverse representation.
“If you don’t want to see a Black love story, an Asian American love story, an interracial love story, then maybe Bachelor Nation isn’t for you,” he said.
Graebner also echoed Freeland’s previous statements about “doing better” moving forward.
“We know we’re not there,” Graebner said.
“We have a long way to go. But we’re committed to getting there,” he added.
