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Mike Fleiss is saying goodbye to the franchise he created.
Fleiss on Tuesday revealed he would be leaving The Bachelor franchise after 21 years.
Bachelor veterans Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich, and Bennett Graebner will take over as showrunners.
The trio have long-term ties to the franchise.
Freeland previously served as showrunner of the Bachelor franchise in Canada, while Ehrlich served as showrunner on several seasons of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor Pad in the U.S.
Graebner is a longtime executive producer for the franchise.
“I want to thank [Warner Bros. Television] and ABC for 21 extraordinary years,” Fleiss said in a statement announcing his departure.
“They’ve found the perfect creative team for me to entrust The Bachelor franchise and keep this lightening in a bottle bold and moving forward. Let the journey continue.”
No details have been revealed about Mike’s departure, but the reaction to The Bachelor Season 27 has not been as good previous seasons.
The Bachelor Season 27 averaged around 3 million viewers and a 0.6 rating — down almost 30% in the demo vs. the prior season.
However, the show surged to 3.7 million viewers and a 0.8 rating with a week of DVR factored in.
It remains one of ABC’s top shows, but the network will be hoping new executives at the helm will be able to bring the show back to its former glory.
Typically, The Bachelor surges in the ratings as the season progresses, but the numbers have been relatively steady from the beginning of the season to the end.
The finale managed 3.2 million viewers and a 0.6 rating — down significantly from last year’s 4.7 million viewers and a 1.1 rating.
The franchise will continue in the summer with the return of The Bachelorette.
What are your thoughts on Mike’s exit?
Are you ready for some changes to the franchise?
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
