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Lance Bass wants to host a gay version of The Bachelor

The former *NSYNC band member presents The Bachelor's spinoff, Bachelor in Paradise.

By Alastair James

Words: Alastair James; pictures: Instagram/@bachelorinparadise

Lance Bass wants to present an LGBTQ version of The Bachelor and we’re here for it. The former *NSYNC band member, who professes to be a fan of the show and is currently hosting an offshoot of the series, says a gay version would be “the most dramatic season ever”. He’s probably right there!

Recently, there’s been criticism of UK series Love Island, where producers have been resisting an LGBTQ version. One such executive has described LGBTQ contestants as presenting a “logistical difficulty”. Another has said the show is about “boys and girls coupling up”.

Bass, who is gay, married his partner, Michael Turchin, in 2014 and the couple is expecting twins via surrogacy.

“I think that would be so much fun”

In an interview with Variety laughed about the idea of a gay version of the popular show saying, “If you want the most dramatic season ever, do an LGBT version”.

“I think maybe it’s the time for ‘The Bachelor’ to do a gay Bachelor. I think that would be so much fun. And I definitely know a host if you need it,” of course meaning himself.

He tells Variety that LGBTQ dating shows are much needed. Bass himself hosted a Bachelor-inspired series in 2016 called Finding Prince Charming. Sadly it was short-lived with only eight episodes.

Unlike Love Island, which seems to want to remain behind the times, The Bachelor has made steps forward, with the branch-off series, Bachelor in Paradise, being the first in the franchise to have a same-sex couple after 2019’s Demi Burnett proposed to her then-girlfriend Kristian Haggerty. The franchise is also developing a senior citizens version of the show, which former *NSYNC singer Lance applauds.

“I like that they’re trying different things and I think the next step, the obvious step, would be an LGBT version. I would love to see a show where you had lesbian, gay, trans, bi. To me, bisexual is just such an interesting thing to watch because everyone is an option.”

Fingers crossed we see an LGBTQ version of The Bachelor soon, and maybe that’ll inspire UK TV execs that the LGBTQ community isn’t a “logistical difficulty”.

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