LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- ABC is extending its reality tentpoles "Dancing With the Stars" and "The Bachelor" as new seasons of both series are expected to air during the second half of the 2006-07 season.
Production is currently underway on a 10th installment of the latter series, which wraps its current run on November 27. It's understood the identity of the new "Bachelor" will be revealed as early as next week while the series itself is on target to rejoin the schedule in late spring.
The renewal marks a resurgence for the onetime struggling series. After running two installments per season in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05, the network cut back to just one edition during the 2005-06 season. To date, "The Bachelor" is averaging 8.12 million viewers, a 12.88% dip from its season eight average (9.32 million).
Meanwhile, the "Dancing" pick-up comes as little surprise. A whopping 27.52 million viewers tuned into the show's third season finale on Wednesday, a near identical audience to its sophomore season swan song (27.23 million on 2/26/06).
The new season may roll out as early as March however no firm dates have been set. Said development would mark the first time "Dancing" has aired two editions during the same broadcast season.
BBC Worldwide produces "Dancing" with Conrad Green serving as executive producer while Mike Fleiss and Lisa Levenson are behind "The Bachelor," which is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television.
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