Allow me to be honest, Bachelor in Paradise fans. The past few seasons of the dating show spin-off have not been must-see viewing for me. Maybe it was the fact that the last season premiered in late September, when summer—which Paradise was made for—was over. Or maybe it was the fact that I was just tired of seeing the same fame-hungry contestants arrive in Paradise with the boring goal of extending their five minutes of fame. So when ABC announced earlier this year that Paradise would return for its 10th installment this summer, I didn’t have much of a reaction.
But then, during the finale of The Bachelor in March, ABC announced a much-needed twist for the new season of Paradise: Not only would former fan favorites from The Bachelor and Bachelorette be looking for love in a humid climate, but those from The Golden Bachelor and Golden Bachelorette as well.
That, my friends, is the surprise announcement we needed.
The past two installments of the Golden franchise have been refreshingly fun and topical, and if I were to formally keep track of your feedback, it’d be clear you also enjoy it way more than regular seasons of The Bachelor/ette. So, adding in the Golden Bachelor and Golden Bachelorette contestants to Bachelor in Paradise? It’s a no brainer.
Of course, with that said, it’s still a bit up in the air how the whole concept will work. Will the Golden ladies and gents date the decades younger Bachelor/ette contestants? (Probably not, but ABC has not yet said.) Will the Golden contestants have air-conditioned rooms, unlike their counterparts? (I would hope so, but you never know.) Will enough Golden contestants be willing to go? (Again, I hope so—but so many of them are now coupled up with significant others.)
What we do know is that filming is currently underway in Costa Rica (a departure from the regular locale in Mexico) and the show premieres later this summer. Host Jesse Palmer is returning, along with Wells Adams as bartender. To add in some estrogen, former Bachelorette Hannah Brown is coming aboard to oversee the all-new Champagne Lounge. And what is the Champagne Lounge? My guess is that it’s a branded place that offers more sophisticated cocktails for those who’ve already had their fair share of fruity drinks and beers.