Peter Weber is close to finding his happy ending, as he’s down to two women.
But there is a separate storyline from the one that’s been playing out on The Bachelor.
After the revelation that Peter’s ending remained unspoiled because he, himself, may not know how it unfolds this week, fans started guessing why that could be.
Within a few days, he was linked to producer Julie LaPlaca, who had been sharing photos of them together on Instagram.
The fact ABC has yet to set the record straight is influencing how fans view this season of the show.
It has already been labeled the worst season yet, and having a romantic storyline involving a producer doesn’t benefit the season at all.
The Bachelor producers aren’t settling the story
It doesn’t help that ABC has had weeks to set the record straight. They could simply have issued a statement saying there was no truth to the story. Or better yet, have Julie speak out about it.
Instead, they continue to dodge the question by hinting that something could be going on.
When ABC finally decided to speak out about the subject, Chris Harrison said that the two had a very intimate relationship. Of course, that could be interpreted as them having sex, which doesn’t help the situation at all.
ABC executive Rob Mills spoke out recently about the rumor, revealing that Peter and Julie are indeed very, very close.
This season of The Bachelor is ruined for two reasons.
First, the romance that The Bachelor preaches has been sucked out of it, as producers are keeping the door open for a possible love triangle — Peter, the producer, and one of his final women.
And secondly, the focus completely shifted from Peter finding love with a woman on the show to figuring out whether Peter ditched the women for a producer.
The Bachelor finalist is indirectly hurt by this rumor
And we haven’t even talked about the final woman. Usually, after filming ends, The Bachelor and his final woman can spend time together in secret and continue to build on their relationship.
When they meet up on After The Final Rose, they can reveal whether things are going well or if they have learned that they are not a good fit.
This season, the final woman, who has been guessed to be Madison, now has to deal with rumors that Peter has an “intimate” and close relationship with another woman, who spent more time with him throughout filming that she did.
She’s now indirectly hurt by this rumor because ABC isn’t setting the record straight. The network is doing nothing to protect her throughout this process.
Based on rumors, Peter and Madison are already on thin ice because Peter chose to sleep with Hannah Ann and Victoria F after she told him that she would leave him if he did sleep with them.
She was saving herself for marriage.
Perhaps if ABC had been quicker in settling the drama with the producer, the season could have been redeemed.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.