‘Bachelor in Paradise’: The Most Surprising Rules That Contestants Have to Follow
Bachelor in Paradise is the more relaxed younger sibling of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. There’s less scheduling and rigidly planned dates. Instead of a mansion, contestants hang out beachside. Still, they have to follow a heap of rules to make sure the season runs smoothly. While there’s a long list — mostly outlined in the contract — here are five of the most unexpected rules contestants have to follow.
There’s a drink limit
While contestants are often seen hanging around the bar all day, every day, The Bachelor franchise instituted the drink limit after the fourth season of Bachelor in Paradise. Whereas the bar used to be completely open, the franchise introduced a two-drink per hour policy to keep contestants safe. According to some cast members, though, many people found their way around the limit.
“If it was two drinks an hour, we’d grab one at 3:50, one at 3:55, then [it was a] new hour at 4:00. We’d grab one at 4:00, and one at 4:05, then you have four drinks within 15 minutes,” Robby Hayes told People.
Men have to wear necklaces on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’
No, the thick cord necklaces that male contestants wear aren’t a fashion statement. They’re microphones. When contestants are hanging out in swim trunks, there’s not a great way to attach a microphone without it being super visible. Hence, the necklaces. They may not be the most stylish, but they make sure viewers can catch all the dramatic conversations.
You can’t run for public office during ‘Bachelor in Paradise’
This one’s to make sure that Bachelor in Paradise doesn’t turn into someone’s political soapbox. According to the show’s eligibility requirements, “Applicants may not presently be a candidate for any type of elected political office (“Candidate”) and may not become a Candidate from the time the application is submitted until at least one (1) year after initial broadcast of the last episode of the Program in which the applicant appears.”
In general, the show steers clear of any political talk, but this rule ensures that contestants don’t start their campaign on the beach.
You have to give up most of your time to producers
On a reality show, this one’s a given. While contestants are on Bachelor in Paradise to find love, they’re also there to create captivating television. To do so, they have to put in long hours with producers.
According to former contestant Evan Bass, the fantasy suites — where contestants are supposed to get alone time — aren’t completely solitary.
After the filmed date, “The producers want to know everything that’s going through your head and they take their sweet time getting all the minutiae out of us,” he wrote for Bustle. “So typically, the ‘Fantasy Suite’ portion doesn’t start until the wee morning hours.”
You have to be OK with public embarrassment
Per the eligibility requirements, the way Bachelor in Paradise portrays each contestant “may be embarrassing, unfavorable, humiliating, and/or derogatory and/or may portray him or her in a false light.” So, while you want to join the show believing in the producers’ best intentions, this may not always be the case.
According to Cosmopolitan, this rule doesn’t always go down well with contestants after the show airs. At the very least, though, they get paid for this installment of the franchise.
