Bachelor in Paradise: Will It Return? Who Will Appear?

In case you have somehow, in some inconceivable way, been living under a rock and missed the ongoing news:

Chris Harrison is out as the host of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, following a dumpster fire of a season.

At least for now.

The embattled host made some inappropriate, tone-deaf remarks in the face of a race-based scandal involving a recent contestant, Rachael Kirkconnell – who went on to WIN Matt James’ season.

This prompted Harrison to apologize and voluntarily step aside.

ABC has since confirmed that Harrison will NOT emcee Katie Thurston’s upcoming season of The Bachelorette, with Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe stepping in as his replacements.

Indeed, a whole lot has been going on with this franchise, the past season of which was an unmitigated disaster.

Which leads an obvious question every person is undoubtedly asking themselves, and the Internet, right now:

Hey, wait a minute! What about Bachelor in Paradise?!?

This beloved series didn’t air in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and now many fans fear that it will be skipped over again while producers deal with this whole Harrison debacle.

Fret not, however, Bachelor spoilers guru Reality Steve now says!

In a new post, the reality TV experrt has revealed that Bachelor in Paradise is set to start filming this summer … in between Thurston and Michelle Young’s respective seasons of The Bachelorette.

“Bachelor in Paradise will film per usual in June at a location that hasn’t been announced yet and will begin airing after Katie’s season is done airing, per usual,” Steve informed readers in March.

As for who will get wasted out of their mind and hit on everyone around him or her (a concept that seems totally normal in 2021) this season?

Well …

We certainly have our wish list, so to speak, but as far as official casting news, here’s one confirmed cast member so far:

Earlier this year, network executive Rob Mills announced that Dr. Joe Park – who competed on Tayshia and Clare’s season of The Bachelorette – has already been cast on the program.

In a sign of these historic times, Mills dropped this news as follows, citing Park’s recent vaccination:

No one else has been cast at this point, but filming will get underway in just several weeks, as crazy as this sounds.

Traditionally, Paradise has often been a place where cast-offs from the previous season went for another 15 minutes.

Although, it did help Nick Viall and Tayshia Adams (below) gain more exposure that catapulted them to the lead role.

It’s hard to say who the breakout star of the current season would be … or if the show should cast all new individuals.

After this train wreck of a Bachelor season, perhaps some fresh faces would help turn the franchise around. #thoughts

Either way, fans should keep refreshing The Hollywood Gossip and other celebrity gossip websites for information.

As for whether Harrison will actually serve as the host? Will this summer’s season mark the 49-year-old emcee’s return to the franchise?

We can’t say for certain at this point.

But this is our best guess: No.

We think Harrison will come back as host of Michelle Young’s Bachelorette season this fall, starting his redemption tour as the emcee of episodes that feature a Black lead.

Is that cynical to assume? Yes.

Does it sound at all implausible, though?

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