ABCâs reality dating game show series, which includes âThe Bachelorâ and âThe Bachelorette,â is expected to face a class-action lawsuit this week for racial discrimination due to its failure of featuring minority contestants on the show.
According to TMZ, attorneys for Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Johnson will file the complaint in federal court on Wednesday morning against ABC production companies Warner Horizon Television, Next Entertainment, NZK Productions and âBachelorâ executive producer Mike Fleiss.
Sources tell the site that both plaintiffs attended a Nashville audition at a local hotel claiming that a producer questioned their attendance before leaving the two out of the normal audition process. Both believe their race led to the producerâs decision to not contact them following the audition.
The showâs lack of diversity over the course of 23 seasons has raised a few questions in recent years as to why there has never been a non-white bachelor. Last year show creator, Fleiss told Entertainment Weekly that he and his production team are always looking to cast for ethnic diversity, âitâs just that for whatever reason, they donât come forward. I wish they would.â