Huge change coming to The Bachelor as Ten confirms show's return

The Bachelor franchise is set to return for another season despite receiving the lowest ratings in its history earlier this year with The Bachelors, which featured three leading men: Felix Von Hofe, Thomas Malucelli and Jed McIntosh.

After multiple reports the show was being 'rested' following low ratings, Channel 10 has now confirmed a new series of The Bachelor is currently in pre-production.

The network is actively casting for singles to star in the upcoming 11th series, which will be filmed in July and August and likely air in January 2024.

However, it appears there will be one big change to the upcoming season.

Producers have raised the age limit for applications from 40 to 50, suggesting they're looking to cast older participants.

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This news will likely delight fans, who often complain the dating show prioritises young people looking for Instagram fame and drama rather than settling down and falling in love.

Before Matty Johnson's season in 2017, producers previously had a cut-off age of 35.

Bachelor for 'seniors' rumoured for the US

It comes after the US Bachelor hinted the newest expansion in the franchise will be for 'seniors' looking for love and is rumoured to be called The Golden Bachelor.

In 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic shut the world down, the American ABC teased a casting call that read, "Now casting seniors looking for love."

However, after the promo ran, not much was said about the spinoff as the pandemic shut down production of many shows around the world.

"Some of the casting interviews we got, they were just so touching," Rob Mills, ABC’s top unscripted executive, told Variety. "It’s such a different way of doing The Bachelor because these people are just at a totally different place in their lives.

"There is an interesting thing about people who have hit the other end of the spectrum, who’ve lived their lives, they’ve raised their kids, some have been widowed or divorced and maybe some have never been in love. We thought that would be an interesting dynamic through the ‘Bachelor’ prism."

Differences from the original show would include things like hometown dates seeing contestants introducing their children to the Bachelor, rather than their parents.

"It’s everything you love about ‘The Bachelor,’ but everybody loves senior citizens because they have different love stories to talk about," Mills added. "It was really fascinating, so I have no doubt it will happen some day."

In February this year, Mike Fleiss, a US TV producer, took to Twitter to reveal the "Golden Bachelor is coming", perhaps Australia will follow suit in the future.

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