“The Bachelorette” postpones production due to coronavirus

Warner Bros., which produces ABC's The Bachelor and its spinoffs, announced Friday that it is postponing production on season 16 of The Bachelorette due to coronavirus.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Television group said, "With the rapidly changing events related to COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution, Warner Bros. Television Group is halting production on some of our 70+ series and pilots currently filming or about to begin. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on any of our productions, but the health and safety of our employees, casts and crews remains our top priority. During this time, we will continue to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control as well as local officials and public health professionals in each city where our productions are based.”

In an instagram video posted Friday night, Bachelorette host Chris Harrison told fans the delay "was not only the right thing to do, it was the only thing to do."

The new season was set to begin filming at Casa Bachelor on Friday with Clare Crawley — a former contestant on The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, and Bachelor Winter Games — handing out the roses. The show joins a long and growing list of movies, TV series, music festivals, and other major events being put on hold in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.

There is no word yet whether the Bachelorette production delay will affect the premiere date, which is currently scheduled for Monday, May 18 at 8 p.m. It's also unclear whether the delay will give producers time to cast some better guys for the 38-year-old Clare; currently, she has a bunch of twentysomethings and a handful of dudes in their 30s to choose from. Godspeed, woman.

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