trouble in paradise

Former Bachelor Franchise Producer Says a ‘Drunken Hookup That Went Too Far’ Is ‘Par for the Course’

After Bachelor in Paradise recently suspended production, reportedly over an alleged sexual encounter in which a contestant was too drunk to consent, a former producer for the Bachelor franchise who talked to People shed some light on how alcohol plays into filming the show. “The whole point of the show is that to succeed you need to make friends, and people feel it’s advantageous to drink and hook up and find a boyfriend or girlfriend,” he said. “It’s par for the course that there is a drunken hookup that went too far,” he added. “That certainly goes on all the time.”

In the incident that launched the investigation, producers allegedly filmed cast member DeMario Jackson engaging in a sexual encounter with Corinne Olympios, a female contestant. Olympios, according to TMZ, says she was too drunk to consent. Warner Bros. and ABC haven’t commented on the specifics of the allegations — neither contestant has filed a lawsuit — while host Chris Harrison has said that there’s “a lot of misinformation” out there about what happened on the show.

The former producer who spoke to People said that contestants having sex that ends up being filmed isn’t a surprise. “There’s a lot of sex on the various shows that happens that never airs,” he said. “There are cameras everywhere and there’s nowhere to hide, so when cast members behave outrageously, they allow themselves to forget there are cameras — and just get caught up in the moment.” The producer characterized the show as having a “party vibe” like summer camp or spring break. He added that producers, the majority of whom are women, will “absolutely step in if they think there is something bad going on.” “If someone’s had a few drinks, but seems to know what they’re doing, you’re probably going to let that go,” he said. “If someone is passing out or slurring, you’re going to take care of them.”

Former Bachelor Producer Talks Paradise Controversy