Channel Ten has just unveiled the official leads for The Bachelors Australia 2023 Season 11, but fans are left confused, wondering WTF happened to reported frontrunners James Parr and Ben Walters.
Some weeks ago, So Dramatic! reported that queer First Nations triathlete James and normie Ben had been tapped to head up the next Bachie season.
However, we now know they won’t be on the small screen, with Ben Waddell, Wesley Senna Cortes and Luke Bateman confirmed for the show instead.
As reported in episode 303 of the So Dramatic! podcast, James wasn’t 100 per cent on the idea of fronting The Bachelors.
“I’m not sure where the ‘confirmed’ status came from,” he told So Dramatic!. “I just know I was on their radar.
“However, I just don’t think it would currently align with my career this year.”
Speaking to fans’ concerns the show isn’t “diverse” enough, James said that “hopefully moving forward they start to have more diverse men rather than just their race”.
“Would’ve been fun though!” he admitted.
Channel Ten insiders weigh in on The Bachelors casting process
According to one production insider, James was definitely “in the running and shortlisted” for the gig.
“But they hadn’t fully made a decision and signed off on it,” they said.
In fact, the casting team “reshuffled the Bachelors a few times” in order to keep the lineup “a secret”.
At the time of the reveal, the fellas “had been filming for nine days without any pap pics or leaks from the women”.
“They have done so well to keep it under wraps,” the source confessed. “No one knows where the location is.”
Well, aside from being in Melbourne, yeah!
What happened to Ben Walters’ gig on The Bachelors Australia?
If the name Ben Walters rings a bell, it’s probably because we reported that he’d been telling every man and his dog that he had been “hand-selected” for The Bachelors.
However, as we are well aware, Ben — who is friends with MAFS alum Lizzie Sobinoff — “didn’t make the cut”.
According to one source, he’s now “telling people that MAFS producers are back in touch with him for this [upcoming] season”, given he’s applied for the marriage experiment “multiple times”.
“He just posted to his FB that he is trying to offload an international holiday for two because he can no longer make it,” they added. “The holiday is the same dates for when filming for MAFS is due to start.
“This guy is so desperate for his 15 mins of fame… It looks like this year his wish is coming true.”
Or, he’ll be dumped at the 11th hour again… Only time will tell!
Want even more goss? Listen to the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto below!
Know something that we don’t? Spill the tea here!
Get the tea first! Follow So Dramatic! on Instagram and tune in on Mondays to get your reality tea fix with the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto.
