Mark Wright’s Channel 5 show ‘The Bachelor’ has been axed by TV bosses.
The broadcaster has decided to pull the plug on the show after just one series with Mark at the helm, and the news has come as a blow to the 33-year-old star, who is hoping to establish himself as one of the country’s most sought-after presenters.
A spokeswoman told the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: "We can confirm that ‘The Bachelor’ will not be returning for another series on Channel 5."
Mark – who is married to actress Michelle Keegan – was reportedly paid a bumper fee to host the series in the hope that he would boost viewer numbers.
But the series ultimately failed to impress viewers and critics.
A TV insider explained: "Everyone had hoped getting Mark to present it would guarantee big ratings, but that just didn’t happen.
"For the show to be axed isn’t a good sign for Mark. ‘The Bachelor’ was the biggest presenting gig Mark had ever had on UK telly and it’s already been dropped."
Channel 5 feels a "more serious" show could attract a bigger audience than ‘The Bachelor’.
A source said: "The bosses want to focus on more established stars who have been around for decades, like Tony Robinson and Chris Tarrant, rather than new talents like Mark.
"They feel like the more serious shows are more likely to bring in big ratings."
Mark began presenting ‘The Bachelor’ in 2019, after previously working as a showbiz correspondent on the US TV show ‘Extra’.