With the addition of many new elements to the show -- including a surprise appearance by the Bachelor's mother at the first rose ceremony and an unexpected "in the field" rose ceremony during one of the dates that sends one woman home on the spot -- "The Bachelor," an original one-hour primetime romance reality television series, returns for a fourth season on the ABC Television Network for a special two-hour season premiere, Wednesday, September 24 (9-11 PM ET).

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On this season of "The Bachelor," new elements are introduced from the very beginning, at the initial party, when the 25 women meet a surprise guest - new "Bachelor" Bob Guiney's mom. This change in format quickly throws anyone who thinks she knows "the game" off balance. And tension mounts in the second episode when a group date ends as none ever has before - Chris Harrison arrives to conduct a rose ceremony "in the field" and one of the women is not even allowed to return to the villa. The show takes another turn in Episode 4, when the ten remaining women vote on who is the most - and least - deserving of a one-on-one date. Fans of "The Bachelorette" get a welcome surprise with return of Jamie, Bob's buddy from the show, who moves into the Ladies' Villa to give his perspective on the women, as Bob gets closer to making his final decision.

During the special two-hour season premiere, Bob will meet the following 25 women:

• Brooke, 24, Teacher, Bartlett, TN
• Lee-Ann, 24, Second Grade Teacher, Athens, GA
• Shea, 25, Firefighter, Shreveport, LA
• Mary, 35, Sales Manager, Tampa, FL
• Lindsay, 23, Professional Dancer, Los Angeles, CA
• Estella, 27, Mortgage Broker, Beverly Hills, CA
• Lanah, 27, Event Coordinator, Poolesville, MD
• Jenny, 30, Marketing Director, Austin, TX
• Kristi, 24, Loan Processor, Chicago, IL
• Lindsay, 25, Pharmaceutical Sales, Mauldin, SC
• Shelly, 26, Pharmaceutical Sales, Wanwatosa, WI
• Kelly Jo, 23, Director of Community Relations, Kalamazoo, MI
• Antoinette, 30, Senior Account Manager, Philadelphia, PA
• Stacey, 26, Hair Stylist, Massillon, OH
• Heather, 24, Recent College Graduate, Chicago, IL
• Meredith, 29, Model/ Makeup Artist, West Hollywood, CA
• Misty, 23, Radio Promotions Assistant, Dallas, TX
• Christine, 24, Administrative Assistant, Corona, CA
• Jenn, 26, Elementary School Teacher, La Jolla, CA
• Leona, 25, Realtor's Assistant, Chicago, IL
• Samantha, 25, Kitchen Designer, Chicago, IL
• Julie, 29, Sales/ Modeling, Louisville, KY
• Karin, 32, Mortgage Consultant, Brooklyn Park, MN
• Lauren, 24, Retail Buyer, Redondo Beach, CA
• Darla, 26, Attorney, Gainesville, FL

The charming and lovable Bob, who won the hearts of people across the country when he appeared as a suitor to Trista Rehn on "The Bachelorette," is the star of the next installment of "The Bachelor." While Trista eventually gave her heart to Ryan Sutter, America fell in love with Bachelor Bob! He has appeared as a guest on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" five times and has signed a book deal to tell the story of his life. The newly slimmed down Michigan native is best known for his wit and sincerity, and hopes to meet a woman who shares his desire for a serious, long-term relationship -- and possibly even marriage.

Bob will get to know twenty-five women via a series of social gatherings and exotic, romantic dates, in groups of five with some, and individually with others. He will introduce some of the women to his closest friends and family, and will visit their hometowns and meet their parents in an effort to determine the woman with whom he is most compatible.

"The Bachelor" follows a gradual process of elimination, as he goes from the 25 women that he meets initially, then narrows it to 15 on the season premiere by presenting them with a single, red rose. He will then decide on ten, then six, four, three, two and, ultimately, on the one woman who captures his heart. However, at any point along the way, should a woman decide that she is no longer interested in him, she may reject his invitation to continue dating.

"The Bachelor" provides an in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the lives of each participant involved in this unique dating process. At the end of the journey, this gentleman will have had an unforgettable experience, made new friendships and quite possibly found true love. But the big question is: After all of this, if he pops the question, will she accept?

Chris Harrison guides this romantic journey, serving as friend and confidant, as Bob and the women learn more about each other. Having found true love with a college sweetheart who is now his wife, Harrison is in a unique position to offer sound advice during this process.

"The Bachelor" is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Telepictures Productions. Mike Fleiss ("Are You Hot? The Search for America's Sexiest People") is executive producer. Lisa Levenson, Scott Jeffress and Jason Carbone are co-executive producers.

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