Time for a change. Mike Fleiss, the creator and lead producer on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and ABC’s latest dating reality series The Proposal, took to Twitter to respond to the multiple allegations that have come to light – one made against a contestant on the current season of The Bachelorette and one made against a Proposal contestant.
“How are we supposed to find out about something that’s never been reported??? #TheProposal,” Fleiss tweeted on Saturday, June 23, seemingly in response to the claim made against Michael J. Friday, a contestant on the dating show. On Wednesday, June 20, a woman posted on Facebook claiming that Friday had set her up to be sexually assaulted. While investigating the claim, ABC pulled the episode he was part of.
This was the second scandal of the season, as Lincoln Adim, a contestant on Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette, was convicted of assault and battery just days before season 14 began. The incident took place two years before filming. In a statement to Us Weekly, Warner Bros. claimed that they had no knowledge of any incident or charges. “He himself denied ever having engaged in or having been charged with any sexual misconduct,” the production company said in a statement to Us on June 14.
Fleiss also tweeted on Sunday, June 24, assuring fans that changes are in the works to be sure it gets better in the future. “For the record, I am horrified that any of these abusive assholes are on our shows,” he tweeted. “We are working very hard to find ways to do better.”
The Bachelorette airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
