So what will fill the BIP void in our hearts? The original format may not work seeing as flights to Fiji are out of the question, but could some sort of alternative be an option?
In a chat with Who before the official BIP cancellation was announced, season two and three star Alisha Aitken-Radburn who found love with boyfriend Glenn Smith on the latest season, confessed she’d be “devo” if the show were to be cancelled, as a former contestant and reality TV fan.
“I feel like at this stage in production now that we’re very much in a cycle where we’ve had three seasons of Bachelor in Paradise and the contestants that didn’t have luck with Locky or with Elly or Becky are keen for a shot at love in Paradise and a holiday,” she said.
“I hope it happens for them and I hope that they can find a solution. I’ve read some stuff that’s saying the Australian locations are more expensive than Fiji but I also think there are some other options that could be played with.”
Alisha suggested that we take a local approach a la the US spin-off Bachelor Pad when past contestants simply lived in a house together.
“We don’t necessarily need palm trees,” she says. “I ship Rosemary the penguin and that guy that was making dolphin noises – I need to see these relationships happen! Put them in a house, borrow the Big Brother house or something.”
The Aussie Bachie alumni could even try something more adventurous like the Bachelor Winter Games series that aired in the US in honour of the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Former contestants from Bachelor franchises from around the world competed in various winter sports all whilst trying to find love. Aussie contestant Tiffany Scanlon who starred on Richie’s season and later dated Megan Marx even threw her hat in the ring.
COVID restrictions mean that international travel is a no-go, but shipping the former Aussie contestants to the cold spots in NSW or Victoria (once lockdown lifts) could be an option for next winter. Who doesn’t want to see someone stack it in the snow?
Alternatively, we can hold out a year and wait for the normal format to resume in 2022. All we ask is for some contestants from the first few series, a lot less toxic behaviour and a whole lot more diversity when it comes to casting.