The Bachelor

Josh Murray has high hopes for a new 'Bachelor' spinoff about senior citizens finding love ... and he laid out some compelling reasons why the show might be better with older folks.

We got the 'Bachelorette' and "Bachelor in Paradise" alum at LAX, where gave us an insider's perspective on the upcoming series, "The Golden Bachelor".

ICYMI, "The Bachelor" producer, Mike Fleiss recently announced the new series is in the works, and that, naturally, created a lot of curiosity within Bachelor nation.

Josh tells us he's all in for the new show because, in his words ... old people need loving too, and there's a better chance they'll find it on a reality show than younger people.

Josh's prediction is the series will be a lot more genuine as older bachelors and bachelorettes won't be out for fame or money ... and will actually sign up just to find love.

He also thinks the hometown visit episodes would get a fun new twist -- instead of meeting parents, suitors can get the stamp of approval from kids or even grandkids!

And, don't get him started on the fantasy suites episode -- he's envisioning a stash of little blue pills.😂

Bill Maher is OLD-SCHOOL -- he says men as a group are like heat-seeking missiles when it comes to sex, whereas women prioritize communication as an entry point. He thinks women got the short end of the stick over the last 10 years, but it's changing.

The "Real Time" host delivered his Valentine's Day message Friday night, grousing that the phone has been used by men to satisfy their basic instinct ... and women have played along.

Bill generalizes that women like communication ... something that just doesn't happen when the options are either "yes" or "next."

But he says there's a new/old trend -- courting people in person -- and it's kinda hilarious. Markets that have narrow isles so people can feel each other's energy.  His Home Depot story may piss off lots of people, but in fairness, it's really funny.

Anyone looking to watch hard-hitting football should've tuned in to a dating show instead of the Pro Bowl ... so says ex-NFL star Shawne Merriman, who tells TMZ Sports he was blown away after watching "Bachelor" contestants duke it out on the gridiron.

In case you missed it, Lights Out and Antonio Gates coached up Zach Shallcross' ladies for a full-contact football game (dubbed the "Bachelor Bowl") during last week's episode ... with the winning team getting extra time with the bachelor.

We spoke with Merriman about his appearance on the popular show ... and he says he was shocked to find out the ladies were going to play REAL football.

"I thought it was gonna be like a two-hand touch, flag football kinda thing," Shawne told us in Phoenix. "I had no idea it was like a real game."

Of course, the NFL recently decided to switch the annual Pro Bowl to a flag football format ... which has fans split on whether it's as entertaining.

One thing's for sure -- Merriman says anyone tuning in to "Bachelor" got their fix of big hits and brutal blows.

"The Bachelor game was more physical than the Pro Bowl, which is crazy!!"

Merriman said he got to know all the women competing for Zach's love ... and admits "he's gonna have a problem" because every candidate is a great pick.

"He's gonna have a real issue."

Shawne -- who went to three Pro Bowls during his career -- went into detail about the NFL's all-star game ... and he said the event simply isn't as big of a deal as it used to be.

"It's unfortunate," Merriman said. "I hate to sound old school or sound like one of the older guys, but when we went to the Pro Bowl, it meant something. You wanted to showcase your talent. You were the best at that position."

Rachel Recchia is NOT back with Clayton Echard ... despite the 'Bachelor' stars suggesting their romance was alive and well in a recent video.

We got Rachel in Bev Hills where our photog asked if she was back together with Clayton, this after they seemed very cozy -- he had his arm around Rachel in "Bachelorette" Michelle Young's TikTok post.

While Rachel made it seem like things between Clayton and her were super complicated in the social media clip, the real story is different -- she tells us they're just friends.

As 'Bachelor' fans know, Clayton broke Rachel's heart in season 26 ... with Clayton confessing he slept with her and Gabby Windey before leaving both behind in favor of Susie Evans.

Rachel says it's taken a lot of time and a lot of healing to get over such a public diss.

Before this serious chick with a perfect smize turned into a television personality and a "Dancing With The Stars" champ, she was just posing in her white tee, dancing her little heart out, and growing up in Leduc, Canada.

As a fan fave on "The Bachelor" ... this blue-eyed babe eventually took charge as "The Bachelorette" back in 2015. Today, she enjoys spending time with her two goldens, making TikToks (mainly sticking to the dance trends) and she lets her bubbly personality shine through wherever she goes!

Need one more clue? She loves a good glass of wine!

'Bachelor' alum, Hannah Ann Sluss won't have to stress about getting roses anymore ... 'cause the former contestant is engaged to NFL player Jake Funk -- and was spotted at a Cabo airport sporting the massive ring!!!

HAS shared the big news to her 900k+ TikTok followers on Wednesday ... showing her enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with the Indianapolis Colts running back.

Apparently, Hannah wasn't expecting a diamond ring for dessert ... as the model captioned the clip, "The surprise at the end he had for me 🥺."

You can see the emerald cut diamond on her finger and a projection on a mountain in the background reading "She said Yes."

As it turns out, Hannah Ann was already wearing the rock on Tuesday ... when the bride-to-be showed off the ring while waiting at the airport with her future hubby.

Of course, this isn't the first time Sluss was asked for her hand in marriage.

The 26-year-old was the winner in season 24 of "The Bachelor" in 2019 ... and got engaged to Peter Weber.

However, Weber called it off during the "After the Final Rose" special ... claiming he was in love with the runner-up Madison Prewett.

Safe to say it all worked out for Hannah Ann in the end.

"The Bachelor" contestant who got a leg up on her competition during the premiere is now taking serious heat online, and it's forced her to apologize for some resurfaced tweets defending a blackface costume.

Greer Blitzer, who got the first impression rose on Monday night's episode, almost immediately found herself the target of Twitter sleuths who dug up her posts from 2016. Tuesday she responded by admitting she "used misguided arguments on Twitter to defend a student who dressed in Blackface as Tupac for Halloween."

Greer says she wants to apologize "to those I have hurt, especially those within the Black community" -- claiming she isn't sorry because of the screenshots, but because she had those opinions in the first place.

ICYMI, Twitter users found a handful of Greer's tweets -- which she's now deleted -- in defense of a friend at Lamar High School in Houston who put black paint on her face ... allegedly as part of an initiation ceremony.

Greer claimed those involved had no clue what blackface was -- or its historical significance -- adding someone putting white powder on their face wouldn't be as big of a deal.

The Griddy's monumental run might've come to a screeching halt on Monday -- Justin Jefferson's famous celebration made its way to Bachelor Nation ... and it's every bit as cringe as you'd expect.

It all went down during the first episode of the new season of "The Bachelor" ... when contestant Madison Johnson inexplicably showed up for a second round of one-on-one time with leading man Zach Shallcross -- despite other girls not getting the chance to sit down with him yet.

Madison decided to use her bonus round with Zach -- a former football player for Cal Poly -- to put their Griddy skills on display ... and the moment might've single-handedly confirmed that the dance has officially gone full cheugy.

Social media was quick to give one collective eye-roll over the scene ... with many considering the act finishing what Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki started by killing the dance once and for all.

To cap off the bizarre moment, Madison pulled Zach in for a kiss ... which, somehow, was even more awkward than the dance sesh. Zach wasn't a big fan of the move ... admitting the vibe was off.

Later in the episode, Madison pulled Zach aside for a third time to ask him if he felt a connection ... leading him to break things off before the rose ceremony.

Former 'Bachelor' Colton Underwood is hoping Chris Harrison's past drama, resulting in an abrupt exit from the show, is water under the bridge ... but admits the former host might be doin' better since he left.

We got Colton at LAX Thursday and he's got nothing but love for the guy ... but check out his response when asked about a possible Chris Harrison comeback tour.

Colton's gunning for everyone involved to be at peace -- and hopes the matter's been dealt with and wrapped up behind the curtain.

For those unaware, Chris unloaded his thoughts about his exit this week on his new podcast, "The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever" ... saying he was heartbroken and gutted over the situation -- adding, “I was embarrassed. I was mad at myself."

As we reported, Chris was pushed out of the show after defending former 'Bachelor' contestant Rachael Kirkconnell for attending a plantation-themed party while in college.

Lolo Jones tells TMZ Sports she's down to be on a dating show like "The Bachelor" ... on one condition -- the program would need a big change in its age requirements!

The Olympic hurdler and bobsledder explained her stance on it all when we got her out at RiseNY in New York City this week ... saying if producers would make the cast older, she'd be intrigued.

"Why is the Bachelor, Bachelorette never old?" she said. "Tell me that?! 'Cause those are the people that want to get married the most. These 20-year-olds, they're not trying to get married."

The 40-year-old -- who knows a thing or two about reality shows as she's been on "Celebrity Big Brother" and "The Challenge" -- tells us she is single, so it could all work out.

"You guys need to get someone that's like 40-plus," Jones said in a message to dating show producers. "Because they're trying to settle down, have a family."

"Like," she added, "sign me up!"

For now, the World Indoor Champion appears content to continue to use dating apps -- and she tells us it's been hit or miss in that category.

Clint Arlis, one of the contestants on season 11 of "The Bachelorette," died by suicide ... TMZ has confirmed.

According to the coroner's report, obtained by TMZ, cops found Clint dead in his parent's Illinois home back in January, he was found hanging in a bedroom closet.

The report says officers found a note left behind on Clint's bedroom dresser ... and his parents told investigators he had been experiencing paranoia and thought people were watching him.

According to the docs, Clint's parents told police his struggles with paranoia began after he had a legal issue with a friend, and he had recently moved back with his parents to get back on his feet after having some difficulties living on his own in Texas.

Page Six was first to report the cause of death.

The report says Clint's parents also told investigators he was having relationship issues with his girlfriend of 4 years ... and he was taking experimental medications as part of a clinical trial for alopecia, with his dosage increasing.

As we reported ... Clint's sister broke the news of his death back in January, but at the time, there was no cause of death.

It's heartbreaking ... the docs say Clint's father told cops he was the one who found Clint hanged in the closet, with the dad searching the house for his son when Clint didn't come downstairs in the morning.

Clint, who was only 34, competed against Nick Viall on 'Bachelorette' is remembered for his slogan ... "Villains gotta vill."

Colton Underwood knows a thing or 2 about proposals, and now the former 'Bachelor' is finally engaged to be married.

Colton and his BF, Jordan C. Brown, made the big leap over the weekend in the scenic Cali town of Big Sur ... where they were celebrating CU's birthday.

He told People, "I'm extremely happy! 2021 was the most transformative year of my life. Starting 2022 off with my best friend, teammate and now fiancé is something I never thought was going to be possible."

Back in September, we saw Colton and Jordan hanging together on the beaches of Hawaii. They started dating earlier in the summer of 2021 ... fresh on the heels of Colton publicly coming out in April.

Following his Netflix documentary, "Coming Out Colton," he didn't consider himself on the market because he wasn't actively trying to date anyone. That changed when he met Jordan ... or as Colton said back then, "Since then I found somebody and I am very much in love."

On Colton's season of "The Bachelor," he made a little history ... as it was the first time there was no marriage proposal in the finale. He and Cassie Randolph, who made it to the finale, dated for a while before calling things off.

Matt James tells TMZ Sports he's planning to say sorry for hitting a photographer with a golf ball last week by treating him to steak and an NBA game.

We got the 'Bachelor' star out in Los Angeles just days after he drilled a camera guy in the leg in Arizona with an errant tee shot ... and he told us he STILL feels bad about the swing.

So much so, James said he's planning a big night out for the photog as soon as he gets back into the Scottsdale area.

James tells us he wants to take the dude to Toca Madera, and then hit up a Suns game. After that, it seems like James feels like they'll be even.

Matt James now owes a golf photographer far more than just a bunch of roses ... 'cause the former 'Bachelor' star nailed the dude with an errant tee shot at a Pro-Am event in Arizona on Wednesday, nearly hitting the guy in his family jewels!!!

The hilarious (and terrifying!) scene all went down at the Waste Management Phoenix Open Pro-Am ... when James stepped to the tee box barefoot at the world-famous 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale to try to win some money for charity.

Matt was gunning to be the closest to the pin on the par-3 ... but you can see in the video, he had trouble even getting the ball off the ground.

His first hack was terrible -- he got nothing but grass and dirt -- and then he shanked his second swing so badly, it went 15 yards to the right and drilled a camera guy right in the thigh.

James was super sorry for the miss ... he ran over immediately and gave the guy a hug and offered him the golf ball as an apology souvenir.

The man, meanwhile, said, thankfully, he was OK.

"We came within centimeters of causing some real damage," James said of the shot. "I'm going to try to find him. I'm going to sign this ball for him. And I'm going to take him out to dinner."

Added the photog, "He felt bad. I felt it ... Next year, I'm wearing a cup."

Might be necessary, 'cause James said he intends to come back in 2023 for redemption.

Jubilee Sharpe won't end up having a DUI blemish on her criminal record -- but she sure is being treated like someone who got convicted for it ... this as her case comes to an end.

The ex-'Bachelor' star pled guilty last week to 2 counts -- willfully refusing to sign and accept a summons or citation, and reckless driving causing injury to property or person. Her actual DUI charge was dropped by prosecutors in Palm Beach ... and only the reckless driving charge will show up on any future background check, per the State Attorney's Office.

As a result of her plea deal ... Jubilee's facing 12 months of probation. As part of the deal  -- according to court docs, obtained by TMZ -- she'll have to complete a DUI education course, attend a victim impact session, do 75 hours of community service ... and pay hundreds in fines.

Jubilee will also be without her car for over a week, and when she does get it back ... it'll have an ignition interlock device, to make sure she isn't boozing and driving.

As we reported ... Jubilee was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving 2 years ago after a cop found she'd crashed her car. He described her as looking smashed -- noting she failed all the field sobriety tests ... then refusing to blow for a breathalyzer.

Emmanuel Acho -- former NFL linebacker and "The Bachelor" host -- just got himself the sickest birthday present ever ... a $6 MILLION mansion!!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the ex-Philadelphia Eagles player bought the insane Hollywood Hills home for his 31st birthday last month, and he even copped a vacant, 10,156-square-foot lot next to it as well.

We're told the price tag on it all was $6,325,000 ... and check out the pics of the place -- it appears to be worth every penny.

The hillside house -- which sits just moments away from the iconic Sunset Strip -- offers an incredible view of the L.A. skyline from the hills to Downtown L.A.

The dope pad features four bedrooms and five bathrooms and over 5,900 square feet ... as well as a primary bed suite with a sitting area and balcony that overlooks city lights.

There's more -- the crib also comes with three additional guest suites and features large closets and en suite bathrooms ... as well as a massive kitchen fully equipped with state-of-the-art appliances.

Brooke A. Elliott of Aaron Kirman Group at Compass represented the seller, while Kennon Earl of Rare Properties at Compass represented Acho.

As for Acho's feelings on the sale, he's clearly pleased with it all ... posting from the pad last month, "I didn't know what to do for my birthday... #NewHomeOwner #LosAngeles."