Next ‘Bachelor’ Ben Higgins, Official Announcement Coming On ‘After Paradise’ Per Chris Harrison
When will the next Bachelor be introduced, and did Ben Higgins really get the gig? Fans won’t have to wait much longer to find out who will be handing out roses in 2016, but those who are hoping to see Nick Viall as ABC’s next leading man may not be happy with the news.
According to Reality Steve, Ben Higgins will be the Bachelor 2016, and although ABC has not confirmed that Higgins has signed a contract, Steve states that nothing has changed as far as giving Kaitlyn Bristowe’s third runner-up the gig.
“Nothing has changed in terms of what I reported weeks ago regarding Ben H. as the Bachelor,” Steve stated earlier this week. “They can make you think it’s Nick all they want, but I have no reason to believe whatsoever they’re giving him the gig.”
Last year, ABC introduced Chris Soules as the Bachelor at the end of August, so fans can expect this year’s announcement to come late in the summer as well. Host Chris Harrison revealed on last week’s After Paradise that the big reveal would likely be coming “soon” on the live show, with speculation that it will happen on the After Paradise live show that airs after the season finale (September 8), or one week prior on September 1.
Although the show’s creator, Mike Fleiss, tweeted that there were “clues” to the next Bachelor in last week’s Bachelor in Paradise premiere, that may have been yet another misleading tactic to keep viewers thinking that Ben is not their final choice.
“I’m sure they’ve told Nick he’s in the running… I also think they know they aren’t picking him. I honestly think they’re using him like they did Arie last season.”
With rumors that Ben Higgins, Ben Zorn, Nick Viall, and Jared Haibon are all in the running, the network is obviously trying to keep fans guessing right up until the big announcement. Host Chris Harrison even went so far as to say that “two Bens” (Higgins and Zorn) has not been ruled out, prompting even more speculation about the upcoming season.
However, after Harrison brought up the “two Bens” possibility, he all but shot the idea down by bringing up the difficulties production had when they cast Britt and Kaitlyn as dual Bachelorettes at the beginning of Season 11.
“Beyond the television side of what you guys see… those first couple of nights were extremely difficult for production. It was a brutal task to pull that off.”
Making the announcement during a Bachelor in Paradise live after-show is a smart move. It’s a great way to give the show a boost by telling fans that the Bachelor will be introduced on an upcoming After Paradise show.
Are you hoping to see Nick Viall get the gig, or do you think Reality Steve is right and Ben Higgins will be the network’s 20th Bachelor?
[Image: ABC]
