Although Peter Weber’s season of The Bachelor has just begun, producers are already looking forward to the next season of The Bachelorette. According to Chris Harrison, the show’s staff is already discussing who their next leading lady will be.
Weber’s season premiered a little over a week ago, but many of the women have already made an impact with fans. Traditionally, the next Bachelorette is chosen from the top four women who competed on the previous season of The Bachelor. However, recent installments of the show have veered away from this norm. Hannah Brown went home sixth on her season of The Bachelor, but still earned the coveted title of the show’s next leading lady. Arie Luyendyk Jr. was passed up for the Bachelor position after his season of The Bachelorette, but he came back as the Bachelor a whole six years after he first graced TV screens. It appears the rules are out the window, which makes Harrison’s admission that the producers are already discussing the new Bachelorette particularly interesting.
According to Us Weekly, Harrison said that the show’s staff is already discussing their next leading lady. “Talks are going but we’ll see,” he said. However, he also admitted that there’s no one woman he’s hoping for just yet. “The debate goes on - the debate is always going on!" Harrison exclaimed, referring to the process of choosing a new woman for the role. However, this early in the season, it’s difficult to determine which women might be in the running. The previous precedent means women eliminated before the top six aren’t even on their radar. With 16 women still left on this season, however, fans still have plenty of time before the true frontrunners emerge.
The season 16 Bachelorette also presents an interesting dilemma in the form of Hannah Brown. Although Brown starred as the season 15 lead, her relationship fell apart soon after the cameras stopped filming. After choosing Jed Wyatt and saying yes to his proposal, Brown found out that Wyatt had a girlfriend back home who was waiting for him to get off the show. She ended the relationship before the After the Final Rose special and appeared onstage as a single woman. Considering she’s still popular among fans, the idea of her returning as the Bachelorette for another season isn’t that far-fetched. When asked if Brown might return for another season, Harrison said, “Look, anything’s possible. I’m not against it. I think the things that make us love her so much - and I’m included in that and adore her - is she is so open and, honestly, she’s a train wreck. You get to see the good, the bad, and the ugly in Hannah and that’s a rare thing in any human being.”
As one of the most popular reality TV franchises, Bachelor Nation shows are on the air practically year-round. The idea that producers are already looking for their next lead is totally logical, especially since they’re done filming Weber’s season. The more interesting question is who the next Bachelorette will be. Hannah Brown seems to be on the table, but other women - like Hannah Ann Sluss or Madison Prewett - have already made their mark during Weber’s season. If this franchise has shown us anything, it’s that they’re going to pick whomever they want, regardless of what the fans might think. The best we can do is sit back, wait for an announcement, and hope we like the next leading lady.
More: The Bachelorette Season 24: 5 Women Who Will Go Far (& 5 Who Don’t Stand a Chance)
Source: Us Weekly
