'Bachelor In Paradise' Will Reportedly Have New Rules About Sex Between Contestants
On Tuesday, June 27, TMZ reported that Bachelor In Paradise will have new rules in place about sex on the show, following the controversy surrounding contestants DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios.
Elite Daily reached out to Jackson and Olympios' teams for comment on the reported rules, but did not hear back by time of publication. ABC and Warner Bros. declined to comment at this time.
According to TMZ, Bachelor In Paradise contestants who want to have sex must "get permission from producers." Sources at the resort where filming takes place allegedly told TMZ both parties must let a producer know they consent, before engaging in sexual activity.
As TMZ reports,
If the producer feels either party is incapable of giving consent, the producer can pull the plug.
The report states producers have the right to stop any sexual activity in the "Boom Boom Room" (where sex reportedly takes place at the mansion) if they feel "contestants violate the rule."
The new changes to the show will reportedly be implemented as a result of the alleged sexual misconduct that occurred between Jackson and Olympios. The show was initially suspended, but on June 20, Warner Bros. concluded the investigation and released this statement:
As we previously stated, we recently became aware of allegations regarding an incident on the set of Bachelor in Paradise in Mexico. We take all such allegations seriously. The safety, security and well-being of the cast and crew is our number one concern, and we suspended filming so that the allegations could be investigated immediately and thoroughly. Our internal investigation, conducted with the assistance of an outside law firm, has now been completed. Out of respect for the privacy interests of those involved, we do not intend to release the videotape of the incident. We can say, however, that the tape does not support any charge of misconduct by a cast member. Nor does the tape show, contrary to many press reports, that the safety of any cast member was ever in jeopardy. Production on this season of Bachelor in Paradise will be resuming, and we plan to implement certain changes to the show's policies and procedures to enhance and further ensure the safety and security of all participants.
Shortly after Warner Bros. made the announcement, ABC released a statement to Elite Daily, saying,
We appreciate the swift and complete investigation by Warner Bros. into allegations of misconduct on the set of 'Bachelor in Paradise.' Given their results, the series will resume production, and will air this summer on ABC.
Since the initial suspension of Bachelor In Paradise, Jackson and Olympios have both released statements about their involvement in the controversy.
On June 14, DeMario Jackson gave E! Online the following statement about the Bachelor In Paradise controversy:
It's unfortunate that my character and family name has been assassinated this past week with false claims and malicious allegations. I will be taking swift and appropriate legal action until my name is cleared and, per the advice of legal counsel, will be seeking all available remedies entitled to me under the laws.
Most recently, Jackson discussed the sexual assault allegations in a three-part interview with E! News. He shared his side of what really happened with Corinne Olympios on the show, and reflected on how the allegations have changed his life since. He said,
It's hard to see your mom cry every single day… it was very difficult. My grandmother and my aunts… my dad he kept me extremely strong and he kept me grounded and humble, but having your mom cry every day for something that you know you didn't do…
According to TMZ, Corinne Olympios also spoke out about the Bachelor In Paradise scandal. She said,
I am a victim and have spent the last week trying to make sense of what happened on June 4. Although I have little memory of that night, something bad obviously took place, which I understand is why production on the show has now been suspended and a producer on the show has filed a complaint against the production.
It's unclear what these new rules mean for the future of Bachelor In Paradise, but filming reportedly resumes this week, so fans will have to wait and see.
