NEW YORK (AP) — ABC has named Matt James as its first black “Bachelor” to lead the network’s long-running dating competition show. The casting was announced Friday on “Good Morning America.” James, a 28-year-old from North Carolina, was originally chosen to compete for Clare Crawley’s affection on “The Bachelorette,” but filming was scrapped in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The show has been under increased pressure to be more diverse and cast a black “Bachelor.” Until now, Rachel Lindsay was the only African American to be cast as a lead in the franchise’s 18 year history when she was named “The Bachelorette” in 2017.
Craig Sjodin/AP
This image released by ABC shows Matt James, who will be the next bachelor on the 25th season of the romance reality series "The Bachelor." (Craig Sjodin/ABC via AP)
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