You can’t tell me that you haven’t at least considered the idea of participating in The Bachelorette, The Bachelor, or Bachelor in Paradise, can you? You have undoubtedly considered which someone you resemble the most. However, did you know that in order to participate, contestants must follow some CRAZY rules?
Imagine receiving a casting call, being unable to disclose your job, buying all of the necessary clothing, being cut off from the outside world for two months, and then ending up in a relationship that might not last. Additionally, have you ever considered what you would have to do if you were trapped in Bachelor Mansion throughout a presidential election? Or what you are allowed and not allowed to do when the cameras stop recording? Yes, your contract fully covers that.
On the other hand, Instagram fame has the potential to lead to a podcast deal. Oh, and the chance to leave with a Neil Lane Diamond ring on your finger and be engaged to the love of your life. These guidelines, though, might make you rethink joining or perhaps encourage you to take that long-promised vacation from social media. In any case, I feel bad for all the competitors who must stick to these rules.
Here Are The Bachelor Show’s Crazy Rules That You Need To Know:
Reshoots
Sometimes The Bachelor captures amazing moments between two people, but the lighting is all wrong. We all know contestants agree to have their lives filmed 24/7, but they also have to reshoot any scenes that the cameras don’t perfectly capture. Reality Steve shared some videos on Twitter of Peter Webber’s one-on-one date with Kelsey Weir.
The footage showed multiple scenes of the pair leaving the exact same place. Making it that the crew was trying to capture the perfect shot of Peter and Kelsey no matter how many reshoots were necessary. Continuity is important so contestants are sometimes asked to put on old clothes or reapply makeup a certain way in order to recreate events that happened at another time.
Don’t plan Dates
Planning dates is one of the few things contestants don’t have to worry about because they’re not allowed to. That’s right, Peter Webber didn’t write that ‘Look Up Date Card’ himself, the producers did. According to former bachelor director and co-executive producer Jason Carbone, the date cards were devised to add some mystery and excitement to the show. The bachelors can’t come up with their own dates so it’s not Colton’s fault that some contestants ended up eating bugs in a jungle in Thailand.
Make It A Close Race
Have you ever noticed that it always seems to be a close call when it comes to picking a winner on the bachelor. Well, that’s because contestants are required to act like it’s a tough decision. In order to make this show more exciting, Trista Sutter was on the very first season of the show and found her now-husband, Ryan, on The Bachelorette, but she admits she often withheld affection from him because she couldn’t make her favoritism obvious without breaking her contract.
Hannah Brown fans are hoping that’s the situation with Peter Webber, who asked her to stay on the show. Is he so head-over-heels for Hannah that nobody else stands a chance? If so, he’ll have to hide it until the final episode.
Age Limits
There have been tons of spin-offs of The Bachelor, including The Bachelorette, Bachelor Pad, and Bachelor In Paradise, just to name a few. But let’s not forget about the many international versions of the show, and each one comes with unique age requirements. To compete in The Bachelor Australia, women must be between the ages of 23 and 35, while the men have to be between 25 and 35. The Bachelor Canada skews a little younger, and contestants must be at least 19 years old to be on the show.
In the American version, contestants have to be at least 21 years old, and the average age of female contestants is 26, while the average age of male contestants is 29.
Time Commitment
Being on The Bachelor means being on call for a period of time ranging from six months to a year, even if your season doesn’t follow the typical formula. When Colton Underwood stunned everyone by leaping over a fence to follow Cassie Randoff, the show didn’t end because he was still under contract.
Producers have the final say on contestants’ schedules. So even though Colton switched things up, he was still obligated to appear on the show and any promotional materials that needed to be filmed. Even if contestants don’t make escapes like Colton, this time commitment can make it difficult for their careers. They either need to take a leave of absence or quit their position in order to make it onto the Bachelor.
Must Take Risks
Normal dating involves risking your heart, but contestants on The Bachelor often end up putting their physical safety at risk too. Part of the terms and conditions they have to sign off on explicitly state that they may be exposed to serious injury, illness or disease and/or property damage.
Peter Webber took some ladies on a group date to flight school, and the gyroscope portion had Victoria P feeling queasy. But even the bachelor himself didn’t escape the season unscathed after suffering a freak accident on a golf course while filming. According to Chris Harrison, Peter ended up with a cut on his head and some stitches but was able to recover and is still the dashing handsome pilot the girls dig.
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Can’t Eat On Camera
The microphones pick up everything, and the contestants are searching for love, not food. The fact that ABC is being called out on it is more of a surprise than an Easter egg as this guideline holds true for almost every movie and television program. Arie Luyendyk Jr., a race car driver, said in a Bon Appetit interview that “Nobody eats, and that’s partly because nobody wants to see you eat and the microphones will pick up the chewing.” Fear not, the Bachelor and its contestants eat, but not on camera.
Leave Your Devices Behind
Every heartbroken contestant on The Bachelor is obligated to put their devices away until they leave the home. The rule makes sense because the makers don’t want participants to spill juicy facts to their loved ones, friends, or even worse, tabloids. On the other hand, the show can benefit from this media blackout. In an effort to add even more drama, officials have been known to provide the candidates with articles about the show.
Somehow, a magazine with pictures of JoJo from Season 12 of the Bachelorette and her ex-boyfriend wound up in the hands of a few of the male candidates, causing a flood of tears. Fans may not have recognized the magazine’s weird English writing because of the drama, despite the fact that it was produced in Uruguay, where reading materials are not permitted, and it was oddly written in English.
Hidden Cameras
Contestants have to deal with cameras in their face, but it’s the hidden cameras that had Colton Underwood worried. Applicants sign on to be recorded via audio and video, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And while some of the recording devices are obvious others are not. The only place contestants have privacy is in the fantasy suite, but Colton Underwood wasn’t taking any chances. Jimmy Kimmel asked what happened to his microphone during this portion of the show and Colton revealed that he did a thorough search of the fantasy suite to ensure that there were absolutely no secret recording devices tucked away somewhere.
No Spoilers
At the end of The Bachelor, the happy couple can finally be together when their contract says so. Seeing them in public together would spoil the ending of the show, so they’re forced to keep their relationship a secret until the series finale. Colton loved Cassie so much that he chased after her when she left, but they still had to keep their relationship on the down-low. But now that the episode has aired in the secret’s out, he’s free to show off his Cassie travel pillow on Instagram.
Must Be Single
Being single seems like a basic requirement for taking part in a dating competition but The Bachelor has strict requirements about what constitutes a relationship. Even if you’re separated or in the process of divorcing, being married is a no-go. Living with a romantic partner is another way to get disqualified and any monogamous relationship longer than two months eliminates people from consideration.
But even though this rule is supposedly strict, it’s hard for producers to verify whether potential contestants are really single or not. An anonymous source confided that Tasia Adams was dating her ex-boyfriend Chase all swang up until she left to appear on The Bachelor. The insider claims Tasia and Chase were even talking about marriage right up until filming started.
Give The Ring Back
Everyone who appears on the show claims they’re looking for love, but the five-figure piece of jewelry is definitely a nice bonus. But unfortunately, unless they actually say I do, they have to give it up. According to Chris Harrison, there’s a rule covering those gorgeous Neil Lane Diamond engagement rings. If the engagement doesn’t last for at least two years, then the ring has to be returned. Bachelor In Paradise alum Kati Morton and Chris Bukowski got engaged on the show, but their relationship didn’t make it until the two-year cutoff.
Career Limitations
Some members of Bachelor Nations stick around for all the spin-offs, but producers get the final say on which reality shows they can sign up for. Would-be contestants must disclose applications if they’re involved with any other reality shows, either currently or in the past. And since ABC owns both The Bachelor and Dancing With The Stars, there ends up being a lot of crossovers. Hannah Brown may not have found love in her season of The Bachelorette, but she did win the dance contest. And it looks like ABC plans on keeping her around, at least for now.
No Priors
Surprisingly having a criminal background doesn’t automatically disqualify you from being on the show, but having a felony sure does. Fans were surprised to learn that Elyse Dehlbom had been arrested and was still allowed to appear on The Bachelor. But that’s because her offenses were just able to get around the rules.
In addition to some serious traffic citations like driving with a suspended license, Elyse was found guilty of driving under the influence and given a 30-day sentence, of which 28 days were suspended as well as some community service. But because her first DUI offense was a misdemeanor, she was still able to compete for Colton’s affection. Anyone with restraining orders filed against them are misdemeanors involving acts involving moral turpitude or violence aren’t allowed to appear on The Bachelor.
Declared A Villain
The cameras are always rolling on The Bachelor, but producers have the right to edit that footage in any way they see fit, even if it makes someone look like a downright villain. Just ask Catherine Agro, fellow contestant Yaga Hea confronted her about coming across as desperate and rubbing people the wrong way by seemingly monopolizing Coltan Underwood’s time.
It was clear that Catherine was made out to be a villain, but that’s well within the rules she signed up for. The show has the right to use recordings even if they’re embarrassing, unfavorable, humiliating, and or derogatory. They can also edit the footage to portray him or her in a false light. According to Catherine, she was given less time with Colton than the other women and was just trying to even the playing field, but that’s not how it came across on the show.
Rose Ceremony
For the audience, the rose ceremony is one of the most exciting and nail-biting parts of each episode. But for contestants, it can be absolutely exhausting because it lasts way longer than you might think. Showing up for this ceremony is mandatory, and filming is a lot more complex than what you see on TV. According to former bachelor Sean Lowe, each time a rose is handed out, all 15 cameras need to get back into position to film the next Rose.
This drags out the process, and Sean claims that the initial Rose Ceremony lasts until about 7 o’clock in the morning. Even though the crew needs to get the perfect shot can be cumbersome, they do help out The Bachelor by reminding him of everyone’s names in between takes.
Spend Money
Contestants on The Bachelor are required to provide their own wardrobes and makeup, and these expenses can quickly add up. It is estimated that female contestants spend up to four or five times the amount their male counterparts do in order to appear camera-ready. Sara Heron and Taylor Nolan claimed that being on Bachelor In Paradise is a little easier on the budget since they only have to buy swimsuits and sundresses.
Marique Matthias admitted to spending $70 on false eyelashes because she was worried about running out while the cameras were still rolling. But too much slurring can rub people the wrong way, Marika Matthias claims she was glam shamed by her fellow contestants for looking too good.
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