ABC/Warner Horizon
Contestants on the third season of "Bachelor in Paradise."
More details are emerging about the state of ABC's "Bachelor in Paradise" as an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct is underway.One contestant under condition of anonymity told People what it was like behind the scenes as production in Mexico was being shut down pending the investigation. The contenders were placed on lockdown, separated, and not allowed to speak with each other.
"We were told to stay in a certain part of the [resort] while they figured out what the hell had happened," the contestant said. "We knew something bad had happened. There was a dark energy that came around the house. You have to understand that we weren't even there a week. The game hadn't even really begun yet."
The incident reportedly occurred on the show's first day of taping.
"They stopped taping anything, and we were just kind of there, waiting in limbo," the person said. "We couldn't talk to each other about what we knew. On Thursday, one of the camera guys told me that they were probably going to shut down production. I didn't realize that it was that serious until then. I was like, 'Wait, they're thinking of canceling the show?' It hadn't even crossed my mind that they'd do that."
According to reports, production was suspended because producers allegedly filmed DeMario Jackson ("The Bachelorette" season 13) in a sexual encounter with a female contestant, who is reportedly Corinne Olympios ("The Bachelor" season 21), while she was too drunk to give proper consent.
ABC and producer Warner Horizon have confirmed that an investigation into "allegations of misconduct" is in progress. It was reportedly the result of a "third-party complaint" filed by a show producer after the incident. But both ABC and Warner Horizon haven't confirmed that this season of the show has been canceled.
But according to the contestant who spoke to People, producers didn't paint a positive picture of the show returning after the investigation.
"One of them was crying. She told us that it was over and we'd all be going home," the contestant said of a meeting held on Wednesday.
"[The producer] was like, 'I don't think that's realistic,'" the contestant continued. "She said that there was an investigation going on, and that could take days, weeks, or even months. And by that time, we all have lives and jobs and things to go back to, so it just wasn't going to work out. They told us that we'd be considered for future seasons and opportunities in the franchise, but that this adventure was probably over."
"Bachelor in Paradise," a summer spin-off of ABC's long-running "The Bachelor" franchise, has aired for three seasons. It features eliminated contenders from the franchise who are secluded at a beautiful destination and gives them another chance at romance.