THE Bachelor does not currently have a season with a gay lead in the works and Colton Underwood has “no plans” to return to the show, The Celeb Report can reveal.
After being the first lead in the ABC series to come out as gay, many fans have wondered if the reality star would return to his roots to for love.
Read our Colton Underwood live blog for the very latest news and updates…
However, a source close to production exclusively told The Celeb Report that there has been “zero discussion” for a gay Bachelor.
“We’re still a ways from that happening. There are no plans of having Colton return to the Bachelor franchise anytime soon,” the informant added.
Fans will remember Colton first participated in Becca Kufrin’s season in 2018 before he was eliminated.
Later that Summer, he then competed in Bachelor In Paradise, where he was also eliminated.
Producers gave him his own Bachelor season, where he went home with Cassie Randolph after famously jumping the wall for her but the pair did not leave engaged.
Less than two years later, they split in a messy break-up which resulted in the California girl filing – and later dropping – a restraining order against him.
Former contestant Demi Burnett – who dated Colton as a contestant on his season – exclusively spoked to The Celeb Report about how “Karen’s” are keeping a same-sex season from happening.
The 26-year-old was the first star from the franchise to publicly come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and praises the show for “making strides” but feels there’s a long way to go.
“I think that the franchise is making strides towards being inclusive in every way but it’s not an overnight thing.
“It’s not like ‘oh, Colton comes out as gay so next Bachelor will be gay.’ It’s not that simple but we’re headed in that direction,” she told The Celeb Report.
She emphasized that she knows producers would “LOVE to have a gay Bachelor or Bachelorette.”
Demi explained: “I know that they’d love it but it’s going to take some time because there’s a huge audience with a lot of Karen’s out there.
“And it’s a TV show and they still need an audience and need to make money off of this.
“So slowly introducing these things more and more will get those Karen’s to understand a little more and more about it and get more comfortable with it.
“But eventually yes, of course there will be a gay Bachelor or Bachelorette or trans, how cool!”
In 2019, Demi made history when she publicly came out as bisexual on Summer spinoff Bachelor In Paradise and began dating Kristian Haggerty both on-and-off camera.
Though the two got engaged on the emotional season finale as Demi got down on one knee, they split less than a year later.
On Wednesday morning, Colton revealed to the world he was gay and he further apologized to his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Randolph, and all the women who had competed during his 2019 season.
The NFL star told Robin: “I ran from myself for a long time and hated myself for a long time and I’m gay.
“I came to terms with that earlier this year and have been processing it the next step, letting people know… I’m still nervous. It’s been a journey for sure.”
He further claimed that he was the happiest and healthiest he’s ever been, despite dealing with suicidal ideations for some time.
“I got into a place, for me in my personal life, that was dark and I can list a bunch of different things and they would be excuses.
“I would have rather died than say I’m gay and that was my wake-up call,” he said.
He continued: “Even just suicidal thoughts…driving my car close to a cliff, if this goes over the cliff, it’s not that big of a deal…I don’t feel that anymore.”
