'The Bachelor' creator is leaving the franchise after claims of racial discrimination, allegedly saying 'minorities don't get ratings,' Variety reported

• Mike Fleiss, the creator of 'The Bachelor,' announced he's leaving the mega-popular franchise.
• His departure follows an investigation into accusations of racial discrimination, Variety reported.
• 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette' have long faced criticism for their lack of diversity.

The creator of 'The Bachelor" is leaving the popular TV franchise amid allegations of racial discrimination.

In late March, Mike Fleiss, who created the immensely successful dating show 21 years ago, announced he was leaving the franchise. His departure follows an investigation into allegations of racial discrimination, Variety reported.

Individuals familiar with the situation told Variety that a number of employees had complained to human resources about Fleiss, leading to a months-long investigation conducted by Warner Bros. TV. Warner Bros. TV and ABC, which have aired and produced "The Bachelor" since 2002, both declined to comment about the investigation. 

During the investigation, producers complained about Fleiss' "bullying" behavior, and said he would "lash out" against production staffers who suggested casting more diverse reality stars, sources told Variety.

"People said he would retaliate against people for having minorities and Black people on the show. He favored certain people over other people," an individual familiar with the investigation told Variety. "He would say, 'Minorities don't get ratings.'"

A longstanding problem with diversity

"The Bachelor" has long been criticized for its lack of racial diversity.

The vast majority of the contestants and leads on "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" throughout its 21-year history have been white. In 2014, Venezuelan athlete Juan Pablo Galavis was promoted as the first "non-Caucasian" lead, but some critics called Galavis "white-passing," and the National Hispanic Media Coalition said the majority of Latinos in America have darker skin and deserve greater representation. (The New York post wrote that he "looks so white he could easily slip into a Mitt Romney family photo.")

It wasn't until 2017 that the franchise cast its first-ever Black lead, Rachel Lindsay. A few years later in 2021, the show had its first Black male lead, Matt James. There has never been an Asian lead, though some "Bachelor" fans, including Simu Liu, are calling for Ethan Kang, who appeared in the 19th season of "The Bachelorette" last year, to become the next Bachelor.

Contestants of color, especially Black people, are often eliminated early in each season, studies show. A 2016 study by Splinter found that 59% of Black contestants leave within the first two weeks, and another 2016 study by Salon found that only four winners in the 31 seasons of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" by that time could at least partially claim non-white ancestry.

The show has made increased efforts to expand its diversity in recent years. The next star of "The Bachelorette," airing this summer, is Charity Lawson, a Black contestant from the most recent season of "The Bachelor." Lawson will become the fourth female lead of color on "The Bachelorette" in its 20 seasons. 

"Does change ever come fast enough for those that want it and need it? No it doesn't," Chris Harrison, the show's former longtime host, told Insider in 2020. "You can't just flip a switch because when things have been going a certain direction for a long time, it takes awhile to turn around a big boat — and 'The Bachelor' is a big boat." 

Harrison left the franchise in 2021 after he was condemned by fans and contestants for defending a white contestant for attending an Antebellum South-themed formal event.

The Fleiss-less future of 'The Bachelor'

In a statement to Variety, Fleiss acknowledged that he could have done more to diversify the show, and hopes the franchise will continue to move in the right direction as it continues without him.

"I had no idea back in 2002 that we were building a pop culture juggernaut. It was a crazy idea then and sure as hell continues to roll — just look at every network and streamer that has ripped us off! Since its premiere 21 years ago, times have certainly changed and I'd have to say we didn't keep up with the pace of those changes," Fleiss said in his statement.

"I am proud of the work we've done over the past five years to make the show substantially more diverse, but I do believe I could have done more. Hopefully, the franchise will continue to move in the right direction," Fleiss said.

Fleiss will have zero involvement in the show moving forward, although he will continue to be credited on the franchise as its creator.