TV Presenter Tony Armstrong said no to being cast as one of the bachelors on ‘The Bachelor’ 2023, and now we know why.
If you’ve been following conversations around The Bachelor, you know that fans really wanted TV presenter Tony Armstrong to be one of the bachelors. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be – and now Tony has finally revealed why.
As reported by So Dramatic!, Armstrong allegedly pulled out of the show at the last minute because he thought it might have been ‘damaging for his brand and career.’
According to an insider who spoke to the publication: “Lots of the women were hoping and thinking that Tony Armstrong was going to be the Bachelor when they arrived. In fact, one of the producers told one of the girls’ friends during pre-filming stuff at her hometown that they did have him almost signed on for the series.”
However, the deal fell through at the ‘eleventh hour’ when Tony expressed concerns about the show’s impact on his career. “He thought it might not align with his personal branding and could actually ruin future career prospects.”
If cast, Armstrong would have been the first male indigenous Bachelor on the show, keeping in line with increasing calls to have more diversity among the faces featured on the famed dating series.
In fact, according to the insider, even the contestants were allegedly surprised to hear that none of the bachelors this season were people of colour. “[The women] were like, ‘Where are the coloured men? We need a man of colour.’”
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Armstrong – who is beloved for his humour, personality, and looks – was a popular favourite for the show. Back when Channel 10 was still looking for their eligible bachelors, fans on social media were pretty vocal in their support of Armstrong.
“If I knew it was him I would have applied myself.” one comment read at the time. Speculation about Armstrong’s involvement in the show also caught fire when he announced that he would be ‘stepping away’ from presenting for some time to work on another project.
For more on this topic, follow the Reality TV Observer.
