'The Bachelorette' 2016 News: ABC Is Aiming At Casting A Woman Of Color, 'Bachelor' Creator Reveals

By Jackie Villegas, Christian Post Contributor Monday, January 11, 2016

"The Bachelor" and its spin-off "The Bachelorette" are huge hits in the reality TV world, but both have previously been on the receiving end of scrutiny regarding their handling of race and minority issues. The problem? Now on their 20th and 11th seasons, respectively, neither show has ever cast an African-American in the lead role.

But that may be a thing of the past. Mike Fleiss, who created both reality dating game shows, has told Us Weekly that there is a possibility that the next season of "The Bachelorette" will feature a woman of color.

Though he revealed that next season's Bachelorette has yet to be chosen, "we're making a concentrated effort to make that happen," Fleiss said. "That's the goal," he told the magazine.

"We're gonna do everything possible to pick the right person and add a little diversity to our cast," the "Bachelorette" creator said.

The current season of "The Bachelor," which stars software salesman Ben Higgins, has two women of color competing for Higgins' affections: Jubilee Sharpe and Amber James. Fleiss did not reveal whether either Sharpe or James could be the next Bachelorette.

Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly reports that ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee has said that he expects the next season of "The Bachelorette" to be "diverse."

"I'd be very surprised if 'The Bachelorette' in the summer wasn't diverse," Lee told the press at the Television Critics Association on Saturday, Jan. 9. "Perhaps I shouldn't have said that, but I think that's likely to happen," he added.

"I think the tweaks that Mike Fleiss have put in place will get us where we want to go," the ABC entertainment chief revealed.

EW speculates that casting a woman of color in the role of The Bachelorette will bring in a more diverse group of contestants for that season that may, in turn, provide the next season of "The Bachelor" with an African-American or other person of color in the lead role.

The latest season of "The Bachelor" airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.