Pressing pause! Season 26 of The Bachelor will not have an all-new episode on Monday, January 17, because of scheduling conflicts.
“See you all in TWO WEEKS. We have the Rams-Cardinals game next Monday,” ABC executive Robert Mills tweeted on January 10, confirming the brief break for the reality series.
Mills advised Bachelor Nation to “rest up,” promising that the rest of Clayton Echard’s season is only going to get “crazier” moving forward.
The network reminded fans on Monday about the scheduling change — which is due to the NFL playoffs — by sharing a meme from the season alongside a video of the women being shocked by a piece of news mid rose ceremony.
“All of us when we remember there’s no episode of The Bachelor tonight,” the caption read, showing some of Clayton’s suitors asking, “What?” and looking perplexed.
The show’s official Instagram account also reminded viewers that they could catch up on the season via Hulu, which only confused fans more.
“You could’ve of just push the episode for tomorrow like you did for BIP 😳😮💨😢,” one user commented on Monday, while another person asked, “Buttttt whyyyyyyyyyyyyy.”
A third viewer joked, “This is cruel and unusual punishment” before a different fan pointed out that watching the Los Angeles Rams football game on Monday was worth taking a look at. “There’s drama in that too!” the user wrote.
The brief hiatus for The Bachelor came one week after fans were introduced to the first real bit of drama this season on the January 10 episode.
During the show, both Cassidy Timbrooks and Shanae Ankney became early villains in the house. Cassidy, 26, ruffled feathers during the first group date after she chose to steal time with Clayton, 28, and didn’t pull her weight with the party-planning activity. She angered the women when she made out with the Missouri native while the rest of them completed the task given to them by guest Hilary Duff.
Cassidy managed to get the group date rose from the former football player, but after he learned that she allegedly had a “friend with benefits” waiting at home, he asked host Jesse Palmer if anyone had ever taken a rose back before.
Shanae, for her part, made an enemy of Elizabeth Corrigan on the second group date after she shoved her during the obstacle course. The ladies talked it out later that day, which is when Elizabeth, 32, revealed that she has ADHD. Shanae, 29, turned heads when she brought up Elizabeth’s ADHD in front of the group just as the Colorado native was ready to squash their beef.
The episode ended with a cliffhanger and a “to be continued” title card.
The Bachelor returns on ABC Monday, January 24, at 8 p.m. ET.
