Blake Horstmann Predicts The Bachelor Franchise Will End After Michelle Young's Season: 'Hot Take'

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Bachelor in Paradise star Blake Horstmann is sharing his "hot take" on the future of the Bachelor franchise.

During a Q&A on his Instagram Story Tuesday, a fan asked the reality star whether he thinks The Bachelor will "last forever."

"I mean no, because nothing lasts forever," he began in his video response. "But also, bold statement here, hot take: I think there won't be another Bachelor season. I think it's going to end after Michelle [Young]."

Young is slated to be the Bachelorette for season 18 in the fall, after Katie Thurston takes on the role as lead for season 17 this summer.

Both women were contestants on Matt James' season of The Bachelor, which was embroiled in controversy after photos surfaced of frontrunner Rachael Kirkconnell attending an antebellum plantation-themed party in 2018. (She has since apologized and said that she is "learning and will continue to learn how to be antiracist").

Blake Horstmann/Instagram

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Longtime host Chris Harrison then announced he would be taking a step back from the franchise after he received backlash for his response to Kirkconnell's past racist actions.

In an interview for Extra with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay, Harrison defended Kirkconnell and questioned the "lens" of 2021 compared to 2018 and said that people should have "a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion" for Kirkconnell.

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Horstmann, 31, cited the controversy surrounding Harrison, 49, when explaining his prediction that The Bachelor will be ending soon.

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"Whether you think it's right, wrong, whatever your stance on the Chris Harrison thing, I think it drove away a lot of loyal fans and viewers and they're really not going to watch the show," he explained. "And I think ratings are gonna plummet, and that's my prediction."

Last month, Harrison apologized for his comments in the interview with Linsday on Good Morning America and said, "I plan to be back and I want to be back" on The Bachelor.

However he won't be returning for Thurston's season of The Bachelorette this summer — former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe will be taking Harrison's place instead.