The Bachelorette New Zealand has made the history books after deciding to have two female leads in one season but the move has been met with controversy online.
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Last month, Dr Lesina Nakhid-Schuster, 32, was introduced to fans as the new Bachelorette.
But those who tuned in on Sunday will have been surprised to see 22-year-old contestant, Lily McManus, join the series.
While some viewers have embraced the change, there was widespread backlash with a number of social media users calling out the television show for failing to give Nakhid-Schuster the spotlight.
“We thought we were going somewhere with a beautiful brown Bachelorette taking centre stage for the first time, we thought,” one viewer tweeted.
Another agreed, adding: “I am done with #TheBacheloretteNZ. WOC are at a significant disadvantage on reality dating shows.”
“There are very few WOC leading ladies on these shows. Here was a chance for us to see a smart, beautiful, accomplished WOC lead. We were represented. So what does @TVNZ do?”
The show also drew criticism from viewers for introducing a second female lead over on its official Instagram page.
“So a woman like Lesina, intelligent, kind and beautiful, is not enough so they have to bring in the white girl,” one user commented. “Would never happen on The Bachelor.”
“Bad move Bachelorette. You obviously could not keep a women of colour Bachelorette on there for long right?” another wrote. “Pretty sure you’ll lose viewers.”
In response to the backlash, McManus has defended the show’s decision to switch up the format insisting that the women are not in competition with each other.
“When I was asked to do this show, woman empowerment was always a main priority of mine,” she wrote on Instagram.
“The show had to be about two women raising each other up and supporting one another through such a wild experience. Lesina is a GREAT mate of mine and the amount of support we have been able to offer each other throughout this makes my brain melt in the best possible way. We are two very different women, who are looking for two very different things.”
The male contestants later earned that they were cast with each Bachelorette in mind.
In response to fans’ concerns over the new show format, Nakhid-Schuster tweeted that everything “all works out well” in the end.
We guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
The Bachelorette New Zealand has made the history books after deciding to have two female leads in one season but the move has been met with controversy online.
WATCH BELOW: Netflix Puts The Theory That ‘Love Is Blind’ To The Test In Its New Reality Dating Show
The Bachelorette New Zealand has made the history books after deciding to have two female leads in one season but the move has been met with controversy online.
WATCH BELOW: Netflix Puts The Theory That ‘Love Is Blind’ To The Test In Its New Reality Dating Show
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