Can SEVEN win back some much-needed audience as 10 delays return of The Bachelorette?

Seven is hoping to steal back some audience share from 10, by launching a new season of Bride and Prejudice in a timeslot customarily occupied by The Bachelorette.

Bride and Prejudice: The Forbidden Weddings will premiere next week in the Wednesday and Thursday 7:30pm timeslots. A move that Seven is hoping will capture an audience usually loyal to The Bachelor franchise.

In past years, 10 has traditionally launched a season of The Bachelorette immediately after the conclusion of The Bachelor. However, this year the network has opted to delay the dating format until the 9th of October.

10’s decision to delay The Bachelorette comes as the network looks to put all its marketing focus on current viral hit The Masked Singer, and extend its primetime programming slate across 50 weeks of 2019.

It’s understood the network was also concerned about the optics of airing four nights per week of programming hosted by Osher Gunsberg.

Bride and Prejudice: The Forbidden Weddings was reasonably successful for Seven when it last aired at the end of 2018. The format has been tweaked to include more controversy and drama. A move clearly inspired by the runaway success of MAFS on Nine

The return of Bride and Prejudice: The Forbidden Weddings comes at the same time as Seven is launching The Real Dirty Dancing in a move the network hopes will finally turnaround what has been a disastrous year

BRIDE & PREJUDICE: THE FORBIDDEN WEDDINGS premieres Wednesday, October 2, 7.30pm continuing Thursday, October 3, 7.30pm on 7