Clare Crawley’s upcoming 16th season of Bachelorette being compared to Big Brother amid COVID-19

Clare Crawley’s upcoming season of The Bachelorette was put on hold amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

But as lockdown ends and Hollywood begins to get back business, she’s getting ready to give away some roses.

Season 16 of the hit dating show is being compared to Big Brother, as production plans to take place in one location in order to keep with social distancing precautions.

Usually, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette will film at numerous locations around the world for one season, only the first few weeks taking place in the California mansion.

ABC president Karey Burke told The Hollywood Reporter: ‘The thinking right now is to quarantine the cast and crew in one specific location with no travel. And to use testing and some social distancing. 

‘They have a thoughtful plan they presented to the studio and the government that’s in the process of being vetted and approved. 

‘I’m hopeful, not certain — anyone who says they’re certain right now is not speaking the truth — barring a second spike or a second shutdown that we will be able to get these shows up and running.’

Although the season will remain in California, the contestants can still look forward to some more local romantic destinations.

ABC exec Rob Mills recently said during On Air with Ryan: ‘[Dates] won’t be at the Bachelor mansion. They’ll be at some sort of resort and we’ve scouted several of them.

‘All of them have been scouted for good date locations and you know, it will not be as over the top as…we had incredible travel planned for Clare’s season, going to Italy, all these places that were going to be great. But they’ll be plenty of different date locations that will hopefully be as close to The Bachelorette as possible.’

He also clarified that everyone will be tested ahead of production, and they’ll take the same precautions for Matt James’ upcoming season 25 of The Bachelor if necessary. 

Mills added: ‘We’re going to be in one location and everyone will be tested the week before. Everyone who comes back negative, we shoot inside that bubble basically. Matt‘s season, we’re hoping to start on time which would be the end of September and we’ll see where the world is.

‘Maybe there’s some travel, maybe it’s just domestic, maybe it’s by bus. We’ll see. If things aren’t that safe, we’ll shoot it the same way where everybody is safe, they’re tested, they’re quarantined and then you can having kissing and arguing and everything else.’

Season 16 of The Bachelorette was set to begin production back in March and air in May, before COVID-19 shut the show down.