It has taken 15 years, 21 seasons of The Bachelor and 12 seasons of The Bachelorette, but the franchise has finally cast its first black lead: Dallas attorney Rachel Lindsay. Lindsay, who is currently competing on this season of The Bachelor for Nick Viall's love, will begin her own search on ABC's hit franchise this summer. And, according to research by Fusion, 59% of black Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants are sent home within the show's first two weeks. Two black men who had auditioned for The Bachelor even sued ABC in 2012 claiming discrimination (the suit was dismissed). In 2016, 401 brands ran 1,129 spots 2,710 times on new episode of the Bachelor franchise (which includes The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise and The Bachelor Live).

Source: Forbes February 13, 2017 23:20 UTC