The Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss announces he is LEAVING iconic reality TV ... trends now
Mike Fleiss, the creator of the iconic reality series The Bachelor, has announced he is departing the franchise after 21 years at its helm.
The producer, who launched the reality TV phenomenon in 2002, will be replaced by three showrunners already affiliated with the franchise - Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich and Bennett Graebner, according to Variety.
In a statement obtained by the outlet, Fleiss, 58, extended his congratulations to the latest winning couple, Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar, before announcing his departure.
'First and foremost, congratulations are in order for Zach and Kaity. I wish them a long and happy life together,' he said. 'I want to thank WBTV and ABC for 21 extraordinary years.
'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.'
Mike Fleiss, the creator of the iconic reality series The Bachelor, has announced he is departing the franchise after 21 years at its helm
The three new showrunners stepping in for Fleiss all have experience with The Bachelor and it's various spin-offs.
Freeland previously served as a showrunner for The Bachelor Canada, Ehrlich has worked on numerous season of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor Pad, while executive producer Graebner has worked on all the shows in the franchise for over 15 years, according to Variety.
The announcement comes four year after Fleiss was accused of attacking his wife Laura, which he
