The Bachelor Premieres January 9th; Cast Names Released  12/16/05

A ROMANTIC ADVENTURE AWAITS DR. TRAVIS STORK AS HE ARRIVES IN PARIS TO SEARCH FOR LOVE AMONG 25 BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN BACHELORETTES, WHEN "THE BACHELOR: PARIS" PREMIERES, MONDAY, JANUARY 9 ON ABC

ABC's Popular Romance Reality Series Is Set for the First Time Ever Outside the United States

Dr. Travis Stork, a handsome 33-year-old ER doctor, may not speak fluent French, but his approach to meeting the 25 beautiful women and attempting to discover if one them is the special person he has been searching for is strictly "ooo-la-la," as the most romantic city in the world plays host to "The Bachelor: Paris," when the popular romance reality series returns to ABC on MONDAY, JANUARY 9 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET). This marks the first time the series will be set outside the United States.

Travis, who practices at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, leaves his hospital surroundings and arrives in Paris in style, ready to meet the 25 ladies at his 14th-century chateau. He will take on the challenge of finding a woman to share his life against the spectacular backdrop that will include the Eiffel Tower, the breathtaking Champs Elysies and the historic Arc de Triomphe, as well as the picturesque French countryside. In a return to its original, popular roots, this season the series will highlight all the romance and fantasy of new relationships.

In the premiere episode, Travis pulls out all the stops to impress the women, who are ecstatic to meet the tall, hunky bachelor, and then - when they learn he is a doctor - their excitement is uncontainable. His bedside manner is spectacular, as he manages to put all 25 women at ease. The jealous and already competitive ladies quickly begin plotting and planning to get an early first rose they learn is up for grabs. And one woman - not too tactfully - tells Travis that she is "entering her reproductive phase." What kind of first impression will that make on him, and how will her first evening end? Then another woman - supremely confident - claims she will be the last lady standing, but will she?

The stakes have never been higher, as Travis must eliminate 13 of the 25 women the first night -- it's "good-bye to Paris" for over half the ladies. And on his first night as the Bachelor, Travis goes toe-to-toe with a highly confrontational woman who goes totally ballistic that she is one of the first to leave.

During the season premiere, Travis will meet the following 25 women:

Allie G., 33, Doctor, Oncologist, who currently resides in Delray Beach, FL

Ali D., 26, NBA Dancer, who currently resides in Seattle, WA

April, 29, in Corporate Real Estate, who currently resides in Dallas, TX

Cole, 26, Sales Executive, who currently resides in Walnut Creek, CA

Cortney (cq), 28, Law Clerk, who currently resides in Los Angeles, CA

Elizabeth, 24, Social Worker, who currently resides in Windham, NH

Jaime, 29, Physician Recruiter, who currently resides in Big Rock, VA

Jehan, 29, Vitamin Sales Rep, who currently resides in Chicago, IL

Jennifer, 25, Model, who currently resides in Boston, MA

Kathy, 25, Graduate Student, who currently resides in Stockton, CA

Kristen, 25, Marketing Director, who currently resides in Bonita Springs, FL

Kyle, 25, Senior Copy Writer, who currently resides in Newport Beach, CA

Lisa, 24, IT Recruiter, who currently resides in Overland Park, KS

Liza, 23, Trade Clerk, who currently resides in Chicago, IL

Moana, 26, Distribution Manager, who currently resides in San Clemente, CA

Princess, 26, Substitute Teacher, who currently resides in Los Angeles, CA

Sara H., 24, Marketing Manager, who currently resides in Minneapolis, MN

Sarah B., 23, Student, who currently resides in Winnipeg, Canada

Sarah S., 26, Kindergarten Teacher, who currently resides in Nashville, TN

Shiloh, 29, Advertising Manager, who currently resides in Phoenix, AZ

Stephanie, 25, Public Relations Director, who currently resides in Walnut Creek, CA

Susan, 25, Financial Associate, who currently resides in Overland Park, KS

Tara, 23, in Retail Sales, who currently esides in San Diego, CA

Venus, 33, Physician, who currently resides in Huntington Beach, CA

Yvonne, 28, CFO of Marketing Firm, who currently resides in Miami, FL

The new Bachelor will get to know the 25 women in a series of fun, exciting and exotic dates in Paris that will elicit real and raw emotions. As in the past, women will continue to be eliminated each week, but if, at any point along the way, a woman should decide that she's no longer interested in the Bachelor, she can reject his invitation to continue dating. Some lucky women will meet his family, and he will visit their hometowns for a slice of their life in an effort to determine the woman with whom he is most compatible.

At the end of the journey, the Bachelor may quite possibly have found true love. But the big question is: After all of this, will he pop the question, and will she say yes?

Hosted by Chris Harrison, "The Bachelor" is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Telepictures Productions. Mike Fleiss and Lisa Levenson are the executive producers. David Bohnert is the co-executive producer. The series is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning.

A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.

Please note: Photos of the Bachelor and Bachelorettes are available at www.abcmedianet.com or by calling (818) 460-6611.

Source: ABC Press Release