The Bachelorette Premiere Postponed for An American Idol Rerun This Sunday
ABC Reschedules Programming Following Controversy Surrounding ‘The Bachelorette’
In the wake of its decision to pull the highly anticipated season of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul just three days before its premiere, ABC has announced a programming change for this Sunday, March 22. The network will air a rerun of this week’s American Idol, showcasing the Top 20 contestants, in the 8 PM to 10 PM slot. This will be followed by an original episode of Idol on March 23.
The abrupt shift comes as questions swirl around Paul’s selection as the lead. Her prior tumultuous relationship with ex-partner Dakota Mortensen, documented in Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, raised eyebrows from the start.
Compounding the situation, ABC and The Bachelorette producer Warner Bros. find themselves entangled in a controversy stemming from a custody battle between Paul and Mortensen. This issue escalated dramatically with the recent release of a domestic assault video showing Paul attacking Mortensen.
Currently, ABC has only confirmed a change for this Sunday’s season opening of The Bachelorette and has not officially canceled the season. Instead, it remains on indefinite hold as the network monitors the evolving situation, indicating that scheduling decisions may be made on a week-by-week basis.
