“There’s always been whispers about replacing them, especially now after the live reunion special, which was a complete disaster on so many levels,”
“If they want to keep their ratings up, there’s got to be a change.”
Speed and Hamilton met on the dating competition series during its first season and married on Nov. 14, 2018 — which also doubled as Speed’s 31st birthday.
“Viewers feel a connection with Lauren and Cameron because they are the real deal,” the source said.
“They are down-to-earth, kind people who can actually help the contestants because they have walked in their shoes. People want to relate to the hosts — and at this point they can’t relate to Vanessa or Nick.”
Fans petitioned to have the 98 Degrees alum, 49, and his wife, 42, removed from the series after the botched reunion earlier this month.
“Viewers feel a connection with Lauren and Cameron because they are the real deal,” said the source. need4lspeed/InstagramA Change.org petition — titled “Remove Nick and Vanessa Lachey as the Hosts of Love is Blind” — has received more than 41,000 signatures to date.
“Join the thousands of Love is Blind fans in making the show evolve into the best version of itself by removing Nick and Vanessa Lachey as hosts and replacing them with…. Well literally anyone else,” the petition reads.
“From the initial season, the hosts felt pretty useless and out of place. They seem to be much more concerned with directing as much attention at themselves and their personal lives rather than focusing on the contestants that are actually participating in the experiment.”
The backlash prompted former cast member Shayne Jansen to defend the Lacheys as “the nicest humans.”
The real estate broker, 33, said that his mom, who died last October, “loved Vanessa.”
“And Nick shot the s–t with us talking football etc,” he added. “They were extremely nice.”
