ABC picks a "yet-to-be-known" Bachelor from Michelle Young's Bachelorette season

The Hollywood Reporter

Young's season of The Bachelorette won't premiere until Oct. 19, but one of her suitors is expected to begin filming as the new Bachelor star before the end of September, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "The 26th season of the long-running reality dating show has yet to be officially renewed by the network, but the search for the franchise’s next leading man has already concluded," reports The Hollywood Reporter's Jackie Strause. ABC and producer Warner Bros. TV declined comment. Strause adds: "The decision to cast a yet-to-be-known suitor from Young’s season before it even premieres — on Oct. 19 — will come as a surprise to Bachelor Nation. This year brought about two seasons of The Bachelorette and, with Katie Thurston’s season having already aired, viewers of the franchise had thrown their collective social media support behind season standouts Andrew Spencer, Michael Allio and controversial runner-up Greg Grippo, all who ended up self-eliminating during Thurston’s run." Strause adds that several men, including Spencer and Grippo, were under serious consideration. "Producers, however, are said to have resonated most with the story of one of Young’s soon-to-be exes, and leaned instead towards giving the newcomer a second chance," says Strause.