Controversy? What controversy?
While the production of Bachelor in Paradise season four was hit with an early shutdown following an incident involving Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson that required further investigation, leading to the implementation new safety procedures once production resumed, the controversy and media furor that followed suit had no negative effect on the premiere's ratings. In fact, it just may have helped the ABC reality series reach its highest ratings yet.
Per Nielsen's fast national ratings, the two-hour premiere scored five million total viewers and a 1.5 rating among the all-important adults 18-49 demo. That's up from last year's 4.6 million total viewers. In fact, in terms of total audience, only the series premiere has last night's numbers beat, with the show debuting to 5.2 million Bachelor Nation fans.
While NBC's American Ninja Warrior managed to win the night in terms of total viewers, netting 5.9 million, BiP handily took the crown in the 18-49 demo.
The premiere addressed the incident in question, with host Chris Harrison addressing the audience on an empty set at the top of the two hours before producers pulled Corinne and DeMario aside at the end of the episode, with a lone camera lingering on all the other cameras that were no longer running, but those hoping for more on the subject as the two-night premiere continues tonight will be disappointed as Harrison told GMA that the alleged incident won't be addressed on-screen any further.
"Corinne and DeMario had very little to do with the entire incident, as far as filing a compliant or allegations against one another and that was what created this kind of frustrating situation. It was someone who really wasn't there and really didn't see or hear anything that kind of got this ball rolling," he said on the morning program.
Bachelor in Paradise's two-night season premiere concludes Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. on ABC.