ABC Shakes Up Fall Schedule, Shifts Bachelor Franchise To Thursday

ABC is making some 11th hour tweaks to its fall game plan.

The network announced that it is relocating the Bachelor franchise — which this fall consists of rookie entry Golden Bachelor and a new season of Bachelor in Paradise — to Thursday. Both series will premiere on Thursday, Sept. 28, with Golden Bachelor opening the night at 8 and Bachelor in Paradise airing from 9-11.

ABC initially had Golden Bachelor airing Mondays after Dancing With the Stars, while Bachelor in Paradise had been earmarked for Wednesdays.

Elsewhere, new seasons of Celebrity Jeopardy! (now hosted by Ken Jennings, as Mayim Bialik continues her strike-fueled hiatus), Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and $100,000 Pyramid will shift to Wednesdays, beginning Sept. 27.

Shark Tank is staying put on Fridays, with its 15th season set to bow Sept. 29. The new season of America's Funniest Videos, meanwhile, debuts Sunday, Oct. 1, leading into The Wonderful World of Disney.

ABC has yet to confirm premiere dates for Dancing With the Stars (first look here!), Judge Steve Harvey, What Would You Do? and Press Your Luck.

ABC's unscripted-packed lineup comes as a result of the ongoing Hollywood strikes. The plan is for most, if not all, of ABC's scripted offerings to launch at midseason, pending a resolution of the WGA and SAG strikes. As a result, the network will "likely" be reducing episode orders on certain shows (translation: don't expect traditional 22-episode seasons of faves Grey's Anatomy, Station 19 and The Rookie).