‘The Bachelor’ EPs Claire Freeland, Bennett Graebner Exit Franchise
Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner, who have been the showrunners and executive producers of the popular reality TV series “The Bachelor,” have announced their departure from the show. While they are currently working on Grant Ellis’ season of “The Bachelor,” which is approaching its conclusion, they are in the process of negotiating their exits from the franchise.
ABC, the network that airs “The Bachelor,” and Warner Bros. Television, the production company behind the show, have not yet provided any official comments on Freeland and Graebner’s departure.
Freeland and Graebner took over as showrunners in 2023, following the departure of “Bachelor” creator Mike Fleiss. Fleiss, who founded the show in 2002, left amidst allegations of racial discrimination, prompting an investigation by WBTV. Along with Jason Ehrlich, another longtime producer on ABC, Freeland and Graebner have been overseeing the reality series. Ehrlich, who departed after the first season of “The Golden Bachelor,” left the show in the hands of Freeland and Graebner.
In a surprising move, ABC announced that they would not be airing a new season of “The Bachelorette” following Ellis’ season of “The Bachelor.” The franchise, known for its spinoff series “Bachelor in Paradise,” is set to return this summer after a hiatus since fall 2023. The future of other successful spinoffs like “The Golden Bachelor” and “The Golden Bachelorette” remains uncertain, as renewals have not yet been confirmed.
Prior to their roles on “The Bachelor,” Freeland worked on the Canadian editions of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” from 2014 to 2017. Graebner, on the other hand, has been a part of the franchise since 2008, working on various seasons and spinoffs such as “Listen to Your Heart,” “Winter Games,” and “Bachelor Pad.”
As the beloved reality show undergoes changes behind the scenes, fans are eager to see how the upcoming seasons will unfold without the leadership of Freeland and Graebner. Stay tuned for more updates on the future of “The Bachelor” franchise.
