How ‘The Bachelor’ Ukraine Has Changed Attitudes Towards Disabled War Vets

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In the latest season of Ukraine’s “The Bachelor,” it appeared that Oleksandr “Teren” Budko, with his handsome looks and genuine charisma, would make an ideal leading man. However, there was a surprising turn: Budko is a former military personnel who tragically lost both legs during the conflict ignited by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At NATPE Budapest this week, representatives from Starlight Media and Warner Bros. International Television, the creators of the Ukrainian adaptation of The Bachelor, shared their perspective that the show has positively influenced public perception towards individuals re-entering civilian life following their military service in the war. This version of the series airs on the STB network.

Our goal is to uphold the honor and esteem for those who have served, as Ukraine has a strong veteran community and their families,” Yana Honcharenko, communications and sustainability chief at Starlight, stated during her acceptance speech for the first-ever Cause + Action Award at the NATPE Honors Europe event in Budapest. The ceremony highlighted this recognition by honoring Ukraine’s largest broadcasting group for their efforts to boost and promote veterans’ voices, particularly by featuring a war veteran on the latest season of ‘The Bachelor.’

Regarding comedies, reality shows, documentaries, or scripted content, Honcharenko promised to continue sharing these narratives. “We may not always know the specific titles, but we’ll ensure that the world becomes familiar with these stories,” he pledged. “A heartfelt thank you for your attention, for acknowledging us, our tales, our communities, and our struggles.

When asked by THR about how her team strikes a balance between creating programming with social impact and providing entertaining escapism during wartime, the executive replied: “We don’t believe in segregating ‘social impact’ from entertainment. Instead, we think the greatest change occurs when impact is seamlessly incorporated into what people already enjoy. So, when we focus on veteran inclusion, we don’t limit ourselves to a single show or campaign. Rather, we weave it throughout our entire collection: viewers see veterans in cooking competitions like MasterChef, as characters in our scripted series, as participants in game shows and entertainment formats, and yes, even as the lead on The Bachelor. They are also part of our documentaries and news features.

For Starlight, it’s not just about making the subjects visible, but rather about mirroring reality. As Honcharenko clarified, Ukraine’s military is made up of individuals from various ages, backdrops, and occupations. Some are professional soldiers, while others were educators, chefs, comedians, and businesspeople before joining the ranks. Our aim is to portray this complete human essence – not just the pain or marks of war, but the intelligence, wit, humor, and skill that veterans carry into civilian life. At times, we’re not narrating tales about soldiers, but about individuals who excel in culinary arts, aspire to launch businesses, or bring laughter. And this aspect is equally crucial.

At the NATPE Budapest panel talk, I was thrilled to hear insights from Anna Kalyna, head of Starlight Production studio, about how featuring a war veteran seeking love on The Bachelor sparked shifts in attitudes towards veterans in Ukraine.

Starlight conducted a survey about perceptions before and after the latest season of The Bachelor was broadcast. Prior to the airing, 35% of respondents were unsure if veterans with disabilities could be considered sexually attractive. However, this number dropped significantly to 16% post-broadcast. Moreover, the proportion of people who believed they themselves could be sexually attractive increased from 52% to 71%.

Additionally, before the show, 26% of respondents weren’t sure if veterans with disabilities could lead active, fulfilling intimate lives. This number decreased to 13% after the broadcast. Conversely, the percentage of people who felt they could participate in such a life increased from 68% to 79%.

Furthermore, the percentage of individuals expressing acceptance towards a romantic relationship or family with a disabled war veteran increased from 56% to 69%. Additionally, the number of people willing to watch content featuring disabled war veterans in significant roles grew from 82% to 90%.

Kalyna summarized, ‘This was likely the greatest and most awe-inspiring influence we’ve ever made on our reality television programs.’

Starlight anticipates that the effects of the war will have lasting consequences, as Honcharenko shared with THR: “The significant market shift we’re dealing with is the evolution of our audience.” In Ukraine, the war has altered not just the media terrain, but also the people. Their preferences, sensitivities, humor, emotional range, and focus have all shifted. As a result, we must reconsider the content we provide, the way we tell stories, and our motivations for doing so.

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2025-06-26 22:56