The time has finally arrived for a hit ABC reality show to head back into production in the United States, and spoiler alert, it's a big one. So it appears that shows like The Bold and the Beautiful and Stranger Things won't be the only TV series to head back into production in the states.
The returning show in question is The Bachelorette, as Variety reports that production is set to launch “soon.” So how is all of this going to work with social distancing and other precautionary measures in play? Well, Clare Crawley’s season will reportedly be filmed in an isolated location where the cast and crew will live. One insider told the trade:
We obviously can’t shoot a dating show with people in close quarters where people aren’t cleared and we know everything is safe. It will be a super safe paradise for everyone to shoot the show.
As for the quarantine location, The Bachelorette is reportedly not confirming anything, but the site is said to be somewhere in Southern California. Similar to the situation in which the Czech Republic allowed filming to resume there, The Bachelorette will test everyone before they enter the location. Protocols, including temperature checks and periodic testing, are reportedly expected as well.
While safety protocols will be in place, what about interactions between Clare Crawley and the bachelors? Will physical affection be out of the equation due to the coronavirus pandemic? A few months ago, Chris Harrison addressed how The Bachelorette would handle filming, indicating it would not shy away from the impact of COVID-19. Speaking to safety, the insider also said:
There is always robust care for our team, and that will be the case as they isolate and shoot the show. Production is going above-and-beyond the recommendations.
This is all a massive step forward for The Bachelorette after months of anticipation. Recently, ABC’s Vice President of Alternative Programming, Rob Mills, told On-Air with Ryan Seacrest that filming on Clare Crawley’s season was set to start filming in “about a month," a window that now translates to a point sometime in July.
News of Clare Crawley’s season first being impacted by the coronavirus happened back in March. At that point, the pandemic had caused The Bachelorette to cancel its trip to Italy. Not too much longer after that, the season was postponed indefinitely.
News of filming ramping back up on The Bachelorette comes as questions have ensconced the season. Cut to early June, and Chris Harrison finally had an update about Clare Crawley’s delayed installment. Harrison reassured that it would arrive as soon as possible before promising plans for something “pretty special.” Hopefully, it will be worth the wait.
Had things gone as scheduled, The Bachelorette would have premiered back in May but, now, this latest news supports a previous report that Clare Crawley’s season would be starting to film in July or August with the show airing in September. And once production does start, I would expect spoilers about the season to be limited.
Filming at an isolated location has the benefit of keeping a lot of info from getting leaked. Or at least, I would think so. For instance, before The Bachelorette was shut down, Clare Crawley had been spotted filming with her ex-fiancé, Benoît Beauséjour-Savard. I doubt something like that can happen when shooting in a sequestered location, but who knows?
A premiere date for Clare Crawley’s season of The Bachelorette is still pending but, while you wait for it to arrive this fall, this summer’s premieres should provide something to look forward too. If not, you can always relive Season 13 of The Bachelor on Netflix along with lots of new 2020 content.
