Former Bachelorette contestant Blake Horstmann predicts that the demise of the franchise is imminent. In fact, he thinks we'll never see another leading man on the show again.
Blake was asked during an Instagram Q&A on Tuesday, April 20, if he thinks the dating show "will last forever." The Bachelor in Paradise alum was quick with his response: "I mean no, because nothing lasts forever."
But his thoughts didn't end there. He admitted he had a "hot take," saying, "Bold statement here... I think there won't be another Bachelor season," adding, "I think it's gonna end after Michelle [Young]."
Both Katie Thurston and Michelle were announced as the next Bachelorettes during Matt James' After the Final Rose special, with Katie's season 17 airing in summer 2021 and Michelle's season 18 debuting in the fall.
So, why does Blake think that will be the last bow for The Bachelor franchise? "Whether you think it's right, wrong, whatever your stance on the Chris Harrison thing, I think it drove away a lot of loyal fans and viewers," he explained. "And I think ratings are gonna plummet, and that's my prediction."
Chris stepped aside as host of the ABC show after he defended racially insensitive photos of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who was Matt's favorite onscreen but didn't get the proposal. The pair broke up earlier this year, after photos surfaced of her at an Old South party in 2018.
Matt and Rachael met up recently in New York City to try to work things out, but a source told E! News last week they are no longer speaking. "She is devastated and feels totally played by Matt. Rachael really trusted that they could have a future together and is heartbroken," the insider shared.
It seems that Blake—whom Chris himself has described as a "dumpster fire"—believes that the latest scandal will be the end of the road for the series.
As fans remember, Blake wasn't exactly drama-free during his run on the show. During season six of Paradise, it came out that he had hooked up with not one, but two, co-stars at the Stagecoach music festival: Caelynn Miller-Keyes and Kristina Schulman.
However, the Behind The Rose Podcast host isn't the only one expecting The Bachelor to end sooner rather than later. Rachel Lindsay, whose interview with Chris partially caused his temporary departure, thinks the reality show's "toxic" fanbase will be the reason it goes up in flames.
"It's wild out there, y'all. It's so toxic. Bachelor Nation, y'all are gonna be the reason this show doesn't exist anymore ‘cause you're so damn toxic," the former Bachelorette lead said last month. "You're gonna be the demise of the show and the reason it's taken down."
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