US reality show The Bachelor chooses first black lead

Matt James is the first black Bachelor
ABC/Craig Sjodin
Kit Heren13 June 2020

US reality TV show The Bachelor has chosen a black lead for the first time in its 18-year run.

The hugely popular dating show, in which a single man chooses between a range of women with the aim of marrying one of them, has been criticised in recent years for a lack of diversity.

And amid increased scrutiny on racial inequality following the death of George Floyd, ABC has revealed that Matt James, 28, will be the first black Bachelor.

It comes after Rachel Lindsay, the first black woman to lead spin-off show The Bachelorette in 2017, said she would distance herself from The Bachelor unless it had a "diversity makeover".

Speaking on US chat show Good Morning America, Mr James, an estate agent and entrepreneur, said his casting was "a step in the right direction".

He added: "When Rachel speaks, we listen. She has a very important voice in all of this, being the first black woman/person of colour to have a lead.

“So I think that we’re all following suit in that conversation, and this is hopefully the first of many black men to be in the position that I’m at now.”

The announcement of Mr James follows a separate online campaign that demanded ABC "consistently cast BIPOC (Black, indigenous and people of colour)" stars in the show.

The group said in a statement: "Representation matters, and it is one of the most important ways our country can embrace its diversity and evolve."

The Bachelor's executive producers said they will make “significant changes” to address the show's lack of diversity.

They added: “We are taking positive steps to expand diversity in our cast, in our staff and, most importantly, in the relationships that we show on television.

“We can and will do better to reflect the world around us and show all of its beautiful stories.”

The Bachelor's 25th season is set to begin next year.

The UK's version of the Bachelor has had six series from 2003-2019.

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