10-05-2025
‘American Idol' Among Five ABC Unscripted Pickups, ‘Bachelor' Still in Limbo
ABC has renewed several of its unscripted shows for the 2025-26 season, but one of its longest-running reality franchises remains in limbo.
The network announced Friday that it has picked up new seasons of American Idol, America's Funniest Home Videos, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Shark Tank for next season. They join the previously renewed Dancing With the Stars and The Golden Bachelor on the 2025-26 slate; Bachelor in Paradise, Celebrity Family Feud, a new version of Match Game hosted by Martin Short, Press Your Luck and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire are set for summer runs.
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Notably missing from the renewal list are The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, which have been staples on ABC for most of the 21st century. The network is skipping its usual summer run for The Bachelorette this year, and The Bachelor showrunners Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner left the franchise following allegations of 'toxic' and 'hostile' behavior on set (Freeland and Graebner have denied those claims through their attorney).
Sources say no decisions have been made on The Bachelor or The Bachelorette yet. The Bachelor typically films in the fall for a January premiere, so if ABC decides to go ahead with the show as usual, it still has time to make a call and get things in place for its usual cycle.
As for the renewed series, American Idol will go into its ninth season on ABC (and 24th overall, including its Fox run) in 2025-26. AFV — ABC's longest-running unscripted show — will enter its 36th season in the fall. Shark Tank has been picked up for season 17, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune for season six and Celebrity Jeopardy! for season four.
The network has also renewed seven scripted shows (911, Abbott Elementary, High Potential, Grey's Anatomy, The Rookie, Shifting Gears and Will Trent) and placed a straight-to-series order to 911: Nashville, a spinoff of 911. ABC has yet to make a decision on first-year drama Doctor Odyssey.
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