The Bachelorette Information

The Bachelorette is a spin-off from the American competitive reality dating game show The Bachelor. In its January 2003 debut on ABC, the first season featured Trista Rehn, the runner-up date from the first season of The Bachelor, offering the opportunity for Rehn to choose a husband among 25 bachelors. The 2004 season of The Bachelorette again took a runner-up from the previous season of The Bachelor. After last airing on February 28, 2005, the series returned to ABC during the spring of 2008, following an absence of three years.

Plot

See The Bachelor (U.S. TV series)#Plot for more information All of the rules are adopted from its parent show, The Bachelor. The series revolves around a single bachelorette (deemed eligible) and a pool of romantic interests (typically 25; 30 in season 5), which could include a potential husband for the bachelorette. The format is the same as the parent show. Unlike The Bachelor, one of two male suitors proposes to the bachelorette for the final selection.

Trista Rehn's marriage to Ryan Sutter and Ashley Hebert's marriage to JP Rosenbaum have been the only marriages to occur in The Bachelorettes history in eight seasons. Unlike The Bachelor, all eight seasons of The Bachelorette have ended with a proposal whether or not the Bachelorette decided to accept or decline.

Questions of authenticity

Mike Fleiss, creator of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, as well as former contestants, have come forth confessing that both shows are scripted. The Bachelorette Season 4 winner, Jesse Csincsak, admits that contestants must follow producers' orders and that a storyline is fabricated in the editing room.

In an exclusive interview on February 26, 2009 between The Bachelor Season 13 contestant Megan Parris, and Steve Carbone, Megan explains how the producers edit the footage to create a fake storyline. "I don't think [the producers] showed any real conversation I had with anyone... The viewers fail to realize that editing is what makes the show... You'll hear someone make one comment and then they'll show a clip of somebody's face to make it look like that is their facial reaction to that statement, but really, somebody made that face the day before to something else. It's just piecing things together to make a story."

Megan Parris confesses that not only is the show scripted, but that producers "bully" contestants into saying specific things to the camera that the contestants do not want to say. "'There's nothing real about it,' she said of the show's trademark "confessionals," in which contestants talk to the camera about the latest goings-on. "It is scripted," she said. "They basically will call you names, berate you, curse at you until they get you to say what they want you to say." Both ABC and Warner Bros., the studio that produces The Bachelor, had no comment."

On March 15, 2010 The Bachelorette creator Mike Fleiss appeared on 20/20 to confess that he develops the show's contestants into characters that will cater to his audience's tastes and that they "need [their] fair share of villains every season." Fleiss has come under fire for admitting that The Bachelor has less to do with reality than it does making good television.

By Season 7 of The Bachelorette, actors were being hired by ABC to play specific roles on the show. Many fans were becoming tired of the show's scripted nature and speaking out. By Season 8 there were numerous complaints when the entire cast of The Bachelorette overtly acted out the show's written script with the cast of The Muppets.

On February 24, 2012, during the filming of The Women Tell All episode of The Bachelor Season 16, what should have been a private conversation between contestant Courtney Robertson and one of the show's producers went public when the microphones were accidentally left on in between camera takes. The leaked conversation revealed the producer's role as an acting coach who was encouraging Robertson to fake certain emotions for the camera which she was not feeling.

Seasons

• Season 1 (2003)

Trista Rehn, the runner-up of the first season of The Bachelor, selected Ryan Sutter, and the season's finale broadcast was one of the most-watched programs in the history of reality television. They are still married and have two children together. Contestant Bob Guiney was chosen to be the Bachelor in season four of The Bachelor.

• Season 2 (2004)

Meredith Phillips, who was sent home by bachelor Bob Guiney (see above), chose Ian Mckee. However, they ended their relationship in February 2005.

• Season 3 (2005)

Jennifer Schefft, selected by Andrew Firestone in season three of The Bachelor, got a second chance at love, after her relationship with Firestone ended, in The Bachelorette's third season. The season was filmed in New York City instead of Los Angeles. She chose Jerry Ferris, an art gallery director, over fellow finalist John Paul Merritt in a first live, final rose ceremony. During this last episode, Jerry proposed to Jen. She rejected his proposal, however, stating that the chemistry was not there. Schefft went on to find love away from reality TV, marrying Chicago public relations executive Joe Waterman in May 2009. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Mae Elizabeth, on November 13, 2010. The couple welcomed their second daughter, Charlotte Grace, on July 31, 2012.

• Season 4 (2008)

DeAnna Pappas, who first appeared in season eleven of The Bachelor, and was rejected by bachelor Brad Womack in his first season, chose Jesse Csincsak over Jason Mesnick. They were set to wed on May 9, 2009, but the couple announced their break-up in November 2008. On season 13 of The Bachelor featuring Jason Mesnick as a single father looking for a second chance at love, Pappas made a surprise return. Like her predecessor, Pappas also went on to find love away from reality television, marrying high school teacher, Stephen Stagliano (related to former Bachelorette contestant; see below) in October 2011.

• Season 5 (2009)

Jillian Harris, who was eliminated by bachelor Jason Mesnick in season thirteen of The Bachelor, was the fifth bachelorette. She is also the first non-American bachelorette, as she is from Canada. The fifth season premiered on May 18, 2009. On the season finale, Jillian received a proposal from Ed Swiderski. A supplement to the finale, "After The Final Rose", aired on Tuesday, July 28. However, they ended their relationship in July 2010. Contestant Jake Pavelka was chosen to be the next "Bachelor".

• Season 6 (2010)

Ali Fedotowsky, who walked away from bachelor Jake Pavelka in season 14 of The Bachelor, was the sixth bachelorette. The season premiered on May 24, 2010. Ali, who let contestant Chris Lambton go the day before the Final Rose Ceremony, chose Roberto Martinez in the finale, but the couple broke up in November 2011.

• Season 7 (2011)

Ashley Hebert, who was rejected by bachelor Brad Womack in season 15 of The Bachelor, was the seventh bachelorette. The season premiered on May 23, 2011. The season concluded with Ashley choosing J.P. Rosenbaum as her fiance. The couple got married on December 1, 2012. Runner-up Ben Flajnik was chosen to be the next Bachelor.

• Season 8 (2012)

Emily Maynard, chosen by bachelor Brad Womack, also in season 15 of The Bachelor, got a second chance at love, after her relationship with Womack ended, on the eighth season of The Bachelorette. Maynard is the second Bachelor winner to be star in The Bachelorette after Jen Schefft. In addition, the production temporarily moved from Los Angeles to Maynard's hometown in Charlotte, North Carolina. The season premiered on May 14th, 2012. Emily's season has been relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, so that she could stay with her daughter Ricki during production, but when they traveled to different areas of the world, Ricky was with her and by her side the whole time. Emily, who let contestant Arie Luyendyk, Jr. go the day before the Final Rose Ceremony, chose Jef Holm as her fiance at the final rose ceremony. The couple broke up in October 2012.

Bachelorettes

Season	Premiered	Bachelorette	Profile	Winner	Runner(s)-Up	Proposal	Aftermath
1	January 8, 2003	Trista Rehn	Physical therapist	Ryan Sutter	Charlie Maher	Yes	Rehn and Sutter were married in December 2003 on national television; as of , they are still together and have two children. Contestant Bob Guiney was featured on fourth season of The Bachelor.
2	January 14, 2004	Meredith Phillips	Makeup artist	Ian Mckee	Matthew Hickl	Yes	Phillips and McKee were engaged at the end of the show, but ended their relationship in February 2005.
3	January 10, 2005	Jennifer Schefft	Publicist	None	Jerry Ferris and John Paul Merritt	No	Schefft rejected all bachelors.
4	May 19, 2008	DeAnna Pappas	Real estate agent	Jesse Csincsak	Jason Mesnick	Yes	The wedding was set for May 9, 2009, but they broke up in November 2008. Runner-up Mesnick was featured on the 13th season of The Bachelor. Csincsak is now married to The Bachelor season 13 contestant Ann Lueders. Pappas is now married to Stephen Stagliano, whose brother, Michael, was a contestant on the fifth season of The Bachelorette (see below). Finalist Graham Bunn became a contestant on the second season of Bachelor Pad. Another finalist Ryan Hoag became a contestant on the third season of Bachelor Pad.
5	May 18, 2009	Jillian Harris	Interior designer	Ed Swiderski	Kiptyn Locke	Yes	In July 2010, it was announced that the two had broken up. Contestant Jake Pavelka was featured on the 14th season of The Bachelor. Runner-up Locke, along with finalists Juan Barbieri, Wes Hayden, Jesse Kovacs and David Good, became contestants on the first season of Bachelor Pad. During the show, Locke got together with Tenley Molzahn from Pavelka's season. Harris was a design team member of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition until its series end in 2012 and is scheduled to host of Canada's Handyman Challenge in HGTV. Finalist John Presser is now married to Tara Durr, who was a contestant in The Bachelor: Rome. Michael Stagliano became a contestant on the second season of Bachelor Pad along with Pavelka. Another finalist Julien Hug died on November 3, 2010. Stagliano would later return for the third season of Bachelor Pad along with winner Swiderski and another finalist Reid Rosenthal.
6	May 24, 2010	Ali Fedotowsky	Advertising account manager	Roberto Martinez	Chris Lambton	Yes	They broke up in November 2011 but remained friends. Finalists Jonathan Novack (referred to as Weatherman in the show), Craig McKinnon and Jesse Beck became contestants on the first season of Bachelor Pad. Finalists Kasey Kahl, Justin Rego (referred to as The Wrestler in the show) and Kirk DeWindt became contestants on the second season of Bachelor Pad. Runner-up Lambton is now married to Peyton Wright, who was a contestant on the 10th season of The Bachelor.
7	May 23, 2011	Ashley Hebert	Dental student	J.P. Rosenbaum	Ben Flajnik	Yes	Hebert and Rosebaum got married on December 1, 2012 and their wedding aired as a TV Special on December 16, 2012. Finalists Ames Brown, Blake Julian and William Holman became contestants on the second season of Bachelor Pad. Runner-up Flajnik was featured on the 16th season of The Bachelor. Finalist Blake Julian is currently married to Holly Durst from The Bachelor season 12 whom he met on Bachelor Pad 2. Finalist Nick Peterson became a contestant and the winner on the third season of Bachelor Pad.
8	May 14, 2012	Emily Maynard	Children's hospital event planner	Jef Holm	Arie Luyendyk, Jr.	Yes	Maynard and Holm ended their relationship in October 2012. Finalists Tony Pieper, Chris Bukowski and Kalon McMahon became contestants on the third season of Bachelor Pad. Finalist Sean Lowe featured on the 17th season of The Bachelor.

References in other shows

• In the cartoon Family Guy (7th Episode of the 4th Season, "Brian the Bachelor"), Brian is selected to become a contestant in The Bachelorette. He initially finds the show stupid and offensive, but ends up falling for Brooke the bachelorette (voiced by Jessica Biel) and is chosen by her, only to find out that she was an actress hired to play the bachelorette and that reality television is actually fake.
• In the cartoon South Park (6th Episode of the 6th Season, "Professor Chaos"), a contest with workings similar to The Bachelorette is held to determine who will be Stan, Kyle and Cartman's new friend since their old friend Kenny has died.

International versions

Country	Name	Host	Network	Date premiered
'	Burl?ci"?a	Bianca Dr?gu?anu (Season 1)	Antena 1	July 7, 2011