For a long time, The Bachelor was considered the spearhead of dating shows on TV. Millions of people tune in every week to watch an attractive single man break the hearts of love-hungry beauties. The show was so successful that it got its own spin-off, The Bachelorette, in 2014. Things aren’t looking so rosy now: interest in the formats seems to have been declining for a few years; RTL has even removed The Bachelorette from its broadcast schedule. After the dramatic TV exit, fans are left with an uncomfortable question: is The Bachelor now in trouble too?
Disappointing ratings for Bachelor and Co.
The Bachelor franchise seems to be in a serious crisis, as RTL recently announced that the Bachelorette will be completely removed from linear TV. The next season in the summer will be shown exclusively on RTL+. This step comes as a surprise to many, as the upcoming episodes with influencer Stella Stegmann (26) actually promise an exciting innovation: The Bachelorette is bisexual and will date both men and women.
RTL / Pascal Bünnig
RTL removes Bachelorette from TV: Stella Stegmann’s laughter will only be available online.
The reason why RTL has banned the show from TV despite the fresh wind could be due to the declining ratings of recent years: As DWDL reports, the last season even undercut the lows of the already disappointing previous year.
The situation is similarly tricky with the Bachelor. Although RTL sent two Bachelors into the race in 2024, fewer and fewer people tuned in. The heyday, when trash icons like Georgina Fleur saw the light of day in the TV world year after year, seems to be long gone. Although the start was better than last year, the double season reached new lows on TV, according to DWDL.
Bad ratings for the Bachelor – This is what RTL says about it
Given the disappointing ratings, fans are wondering about the future of the shows. RTL is positive about the show in an interview with Südwest Presse and points out that ratings are no longer as meaningful in the streaming era:
The linear ratings must always be viewed in conjunction with streaming. We are very pleased with the viewing figures for ‘The Bachelors’ on our streaming service RTL+ and have recorded an increase compared to the previous year.
Viewers are therefore increasingly using streaming services instead of watching on TV. It is questionable whether this is enough to explain the falling ratings. RTL still seems to believe in the brand, as a spin-off with over-60s participants is planned for the future. It remains to be seen whether The Bachelor will continue to be a double series in the future – or whether it will be relegated to RTL+ like its sister format.