The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ returns to ABC
Love is in the air, at least in prime time. After a yearlong hiatus, one reality TV show is about to put the sizzle back in summer with some serious guilty-pleasure TV.
Men and women travel to sunny Mexico, where they’ll get to know each other against the backdrop of a luxurious tropical resort in the Season 7 premiere of “Bachelor in Paradise,” airing Monday, Aug. 16, on ABC. All of the contestants are alumni of either “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette,” and they’re looking for another shot at finding love (or even just a little romance). However, the reality TV competition series will leave some players out in the cold as they are eliminated each week to make way for new potential love matches.
Things will look a little different this time around for returning fans of the show. While filming once again took place at an exclusive resort in Mexico, it was announced in June that longtime Bachelor Nation host Chris Harrison (“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”) had left the franchise for good. Luckily, some celebrities will be stepping in to guest host “Bachelor in Paradise” this season.
The big news is that former “Saturday Night Live” cast member David Spade, who’s been a fan of The Bachelor franchise for quite a while, has signed on as a guest host. The comedian talked about his love for “The Bachelor” in a 2019 interview on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
“I do watch it. I do Instagram stories about it. I think it’s hilarious,” Spade told Kimmel. When the host praised him for his Instagram stories, Spade added: “They’re more R-rated.”
Spade is a huge “get” for The Bachelor franchise. The Hollywood star’s film credits include “Tommy Boy” (1995), “Joe Dirt” (2001), “The Do-Over” (2016) and “The Wrong Missy” (2020). He’s also starred in sitcoms “Just Shoot Me” and “Rules of Engagement,” among others, and hosts the late-night talk show “Lights Out With David Spade.”
Spade will share hosting duties with a number of other celebs. Broadway actor Tituss Burgess, best known to TV viewers for his role as Titus in the Netflix comedy “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” will also serve as a Season 7 guest host. ‘N Sync’s Lance Bass (“On the Line,” 2001) will appear as host, too, as will rapper Lil Jon (known for the 2013 party anthem “Turn Down For What”).
Wells Adams, who attempted to woo JoJo Fletcher as a contestant in Season 12 of “The Bachelorette,” will have a part in this season’s “Bachelor in Paradise,” too. Serving as the “Bachelor in Paradise” bartender since Season 4, a role which he will continue in Season 7, this time around he will be the show’s “master of ceremonies” over the rose eliminations as well. He’s also slated to guest host one of Season 7’s episodes. In an exclusive interview with Us Magazine in July, Adams expressed his excitement about the newest season.
“There’s love, there’s romance. There’s a lot of drama, you know, it’s got everything,” Adams said. “The drinks are bad, the advice is worse, but the bar is open. There are some twists and turns that I was shocked by and I never thought would ever happen on the show. And I think people are really, really going to love this season.”
After a long wait, Bachelor fans are probably looking forward to new episodes featuring some of their favorite contestants. Season 6 of “Bachelor in Paradise” wrapped in September 2019, but COVID-19 delayed Season 7 until this year.
Collectively, four seasons of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” have aired since the last “Bachelor in Paradise,” meaning producers had plenty of (more than 100!) potential cast members to choose from. As a result, some of the most memorable players in Bachelor history will hit the beach this season.
ABC announced 19 members of the “Bachelor in Paradise”
cast in July. The women of Season 7 include “The Bachelor” alums Abigail Heringer (Season 25), Deandra Kanu (Season 24), Jessenia Cruz (Season 25), Kelsey Weir (Season 24), Mari Pepin-Solis (Season 25), Maurissa Gunn (Season 24), Natasha Parker (Season 24), Serena Chew (Season 25), Serena Pitt (Season 25), Tahzjuan Hawkins (Season 23), Tammy Ly (Season 24), Victoria Larson (Season 25) and Victoria Paul (Season 24).
The men include “The Bachelorette” alums Brendan Morais (Season 16), Ivan Hall (Season 16), Joe Amabile (Season 14), Karl Smith (Season 17), Kenny Braasch (Season 16) and Noah Erb (Season 16).
While this is a great starting lineup for fans, expect surprises throughout the season. After all, the singles will get the opportunity each week to choose which contestants they want to get to know better and which ones they want to send packing.
Rumors abound about who else might show up this season, among them former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin (Season 14), “villain” Victoria Fuller (Season 24 of “The Bachelor”) and NFL player Clay Harbor (Season 14 of “The Bachelorette”), though none of them have been confirmed as of press time.
No matter who shows up, there are plenty of wild antics as the cast looks for love on the beach. Watch as sexy singles frolic in Mexico in the Season 7 premiere of “Bachelor in Paradise,” airing Monday, Aug. 16, on ABC.