Insiders have revealed why The Bachelor Australia will “never be cancelled” despite hitting the franchise’s lowest-ever ratings this year.
ICYMI: Ten debuted a SECOND multi-lead season of The Bachelors on December 3. However, it premiered to just 224,000 five-city metro viewers, down from the previous season’s 309,000 premiere.
Despite the public’s dissipating interest in the once-hit dating show, a TV executive has explained why the network is unlikely to drop the series.
“A minimum of 55% of the content aired on all commercial networks in Australia is legally required to be produced locally, within Australia,” the insider told Yahoo! Lifestyle.
“In my opinion, that’s why Network Ten haven’t canned The Bachelors yet – they’ve just scaled it down to a point now where it’s one of their cheapest things to produce and shove it on during a non-ratings period to meet their quota.
“Until they find something just as budget to replace it, I can’t see them ever cancelling it.”
Channel Ten ‘hoped’ to cast big names in The Bachelor franchise
The Australian government “maintained [commercial networks had a] requirement to produce 55% of Australian content on all primary networks and 1460 hours on non-primary channels” in 2020.
Commercial radio stations are similarly legally required to air a specific amount of music recorded and produced by Australian artists.
The TV insider also revealed that Ten “had hoped” to cast big-name celebs this year. However, after personalities such as Jackie O Henderson and Braith Anasta declined offers to appear, they were forced to resort to “unknown” and “minor influencer” leads.
In turn, this “helped keep the cost of producing the show down”.
“It’d be like the kiss of death to your career to sign up to The Bachelors at this point,” the insider said of why stars are saying no to the franchise.
That sounds promising… Not!
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.
