Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 is bringing the heat, with some solid couples already taking shape (we're looking at you Spencer and Jess) and others beginning to show signs of strain — like Kat and Dale, or Brian and Parisa. But just as the relationships start to settle, host Jesse Palmer is shaking things up once again.

At the end of Episode 4, a sneak peek of what's to come showed Jesse announcing a surprising twist at the rose ceremony. This season will look very different from those in the past. For the first time, a major cash prize is on the line and it will be awarded to the couple deemed most promising in the end. In other words, the series has taken a page out of Love Island USA.

Bachelor In Paradise Season 10 Sees A Major Shake-Up Never Seen Before

Bachelor in Paradise cast
Bachelor in Paradise cast Season 10.
Via:Disney/Bahareh Ritter

Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 is shaping up to be one of the most compelling seasons yet, filled with dramatic rose ceremonies and couples second-guessing their connections. This time around, the series introduced a few fresh twists, like relocating to the stunning beaches of Costa Rica and, for the first time ever, welcoming contestants from both Golden Bachelor and Golden Bachelorette to the beach in hopes of finding love, too.

The show seems to be taking a page from the Love Island playbook, with the latest episode featuring the men performing steamy, costume-clad dance routines in front of the women in a chemistry challenge, something fans immediately recognized as a nod to the hit reality TV series. But that wasn't the only Love Island-esque twist.

Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 couples after Episode 4

Jess and Spencer

Bailey and Jeremy

Kat and Dale

Alexe and Andrew

Jill and Sean

Parisa and Brian

Natascha and Gary

Leslie and Kim

Kathy and Keith

April and Jonathan

Instead of the usual rose ceremony at the end of each episode, it ended on a cliffhanger, followed by a preview of host Jesse Palmer teasing a major shake-up. According to Jesse, things will look very different as there will no longer be any more arrivals. As the couple have pretty much formed, Jesse shares that there will now be a cash prize of $500,000. That's half a million dollars and four times the amount won by Love Island couples.

$500,000 will be awarded to the most promising couple on Season 10 of Bachelor in Paradise.

However, in order to win the cash prize and come out on top, each couple will face a series of challenges that will test their relationship moving forward. If viewers recall, it's extremely similar to The Bachelor spinoff, Bachelor Pad.

Will A Cash Prize Hurt Or Help The Contestants On Bachelor In Paradise Season 10?

Viewers have expressed mixed reactions to the introduction of a cash prize on Bachelor In Paradise. While it adds a new layer of excitement to the show, it's also a first for the franchise and not everyone is on board. In a Reddit thread discussing the new twists, fans worry that the incentive could encourage contestants to "sabotage other relationships" or stay in relationships "for the wrong reasons," all in the hopes of walking away with the money.

  • A commenter wrote that the cash prize "removes the motive of a real love match."
  • "No, I don’t like it. I want BIP to be BIP, not a competition show."
  • "Stop copying Love Island, Bachelor in Paradise! It’s super transparent and you don’t copy it well so it ends up making bad TV."
  • "Hate it. Don't mess with a good thing."

However, some Reddit commenters liked the idea of the cash prize, comparing it to Bachelor Pad, which first aired in 2010 and only aired for three seasons. According to The Palm Beach Post, former Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants all lived together in a mansion and "take part in challenges to prevent elimination, go on dates with contestants of their choice, and choose other contestants to eliminate" with a couple winning the $250,000 cash prize.

In an interview with Us Weekly, BiP cast member Jonathan Johnson was one of the few people that didn't think the cash incentive was "cheapening" relationships.

"That's not the point of competing for $500,000. You’re locked in with your person. You have all this time to get to know each other now — you can fall for your person and win however much money," he began.

"I was very adamant about like, ‘Hey, whether you’re with somebody or you’re not with somebody, there’s still $500,000 on the line at the end of it. Like, take advantage of it because anybody back home would do the same.’ Nobody’s gonna think you’re cheapening your relationship or that you’re just in it for [money]," he continued.

Jonathan disagreed with fans that the cash prize would affect couples, pointing out that it was introduced midway through the season and real relationships had already formed. If those relationships continue to hold strong, they could not only walk away with a potential life partner, but also a pocket full of cash. That's not too bad.

This Couple Is Most Likely Going To Win The Cash Prize

Jess and Spencer smiling
Jess and Spencer smiling on BiP.
Via: Disney/Bahareh Ritter)

One BiP couple that could be a front-runner for the $500,000 cash prize is Jess Edwards and Spencer Conley. The pair have remained solid throughout their experience in Costa Rica and fans are even betting that they will walk away from paradise as an engaged couple.

In fact, Jess and Spencer had the first kiss of the season when the two took a romantic walk down the beach. "After today, Spencer is definitely my No. 1. He's so cute and just so easy to talk to," Jess shared to the cameras. "If this could be my love story, please Lord, I've been waiting long enough. Please, that would be so awesome," Spencer later shared in his own confessional.

Bachelor in Paradise Season 10

Age

Hometown

Profession

Spencer Conley

32

Dallas, Texas

Pet Portrait Entrepreneur

Jess Edwards

26

Erwin, Tennessee

Executive Assistant

Both Jess and Spencer have not explored other connections despite Jess getting pulled by now-eliminated cast member Sam McKinney for a date. They've also both chosen not to kiss other people during a kissing challenge except themselves, and have only had eyes to one another during the rose ceremonies.

So far, fans love watching their genuine and playful bond. However, will their relationship be strong enough to make it through the various challenges that await? Our guess is yes.

Will they also ultimately be the couple to walk away with the $500,000 cash prize?

For more Bachelor in Paradise coverage, visit our Reality TV Hub.


New episodes of Bachelor in Paradise air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC

bachelor-paradise

Your Rating

Bachelor in Paradise
TV-14
Competition
Reality
Release Date
August 4, 2014
Network
ABC
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Chris Harrison
    Self - Host
  • instar49992156-1.jpg
    Jesse Palmer
    Self - Contestant

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

bachelor-paradise

Your Rating

Bachelor in Paradise
TV-14
Competition
Reality
Release Date
August 4, 2014
Network
ABC
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Chris Harrison
    Self - Host
  • instar49992156-1.jpg
    Jesse Palmer
    Self - Contestant

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Seasons
9