Channel Ten has confirmed that The Bachelor Australia will not be returning to screens in 2024.
The news comes just a day after longtime host Osher Gunsberg hinted that the reality romance show wouldn’t be taking place this year.
Alongside his duties on The Bachelor, Osher has hosted the Australian iteration of The Masked Singer since it first premiered in 2019.
Sadly however, the campy show jam-packed with celebrity cameos has also been placed on hiatus for the foreseeable future.
Speaking with news.com.au, a Channel 10 spokesperson said that the resting of both reality series would allow Osher to “rest his voice.”
His next appearance on Channel Ten will be as the narrator on Season 18 of Bondi Rescue which is due to air in the second half of 2024.
“Network 10 will be packing away the masks and roses this year,” the spokesperson said in an official statement to the publication.
“[Osher] remains a much-loved presenter and friend of Network 10,” they added.
During a live radio interview with Hughesy, Ed, and Erin on 2Day FM on May 6th, Osher shared his perspective as to why the reality series had been shelved, adding that their cancellation was something he was “always prepared for.”
“Like anything, things come and go, that’s all right, that’s the gig and it’s fine. I know the show is not coming back because I did a bad job, I can tell you that.”
He added that he felt that local stories and voices should be featured on free-to-air television much more than they were.
“I personally feel we really need to value our own stories and our culture, and our own voices far more highly.”
“If we’re not going to sing our own songs and tell our own stories – we’re just going to be this weird echo of the US and the UK, and that’s not going to work out well for us.”
When the 11th season of The Bachelor (or The Bachelors as it was billed) premiered in late 2023, it failed to attract viewers, despite the revitalized format. In fact, it was the lowest-ranked season since the show premiered in 2013.
Curiously, both The Masked Singer and The Bachelor were confirmed to be returning in 2024 at the Channel Ten Upfronts event held in October 2023.
