War for the roses

There will be no rose ceremony or any dust-ups just yet.

Before 25 women compete for one man’s heart on The Bachelor Canada, they must first compete for the producers’ attention.

That perilous journey toward reality-TV matchmaking will start in Vancouver on Feb. 19 as Citytv launches a six-city casting tour for the new spinoff of the American hit.

Since launching an online application process for contestants, supervising producer Sean De Vries says he’s been floored by the response.

More than 100 eligible women could potentially be trying out for a spot on the show in Vancouver alone, he says.

“We honestly don’t know what to expect,” De Vries said. “In terms of what’s on the pop-culture radar, this is the most ambitious show I’ve done. The interest has been more than we could have expected.”

So what will sort the contenders from the pretenders?

Not a desire to be on television, not someone who is only looking to advance her modelling career and not a fake personality.

Despite the drama for which the series is renowned, De Vries says they’re still looking for women — and one male bachelor — genuinely looking for romance.

“We want a person with a good story. But, more than that, the people that will get this opportunity are the ones with real sincerity to meet the love of your life,” he said. “A lot of people have applied just because they’re fans of the show, but we’re looking to find out what drives you to seek this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

After Vancouver, the audition tour will visit Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

Principle photography starts this spring, and the show will debut on Citytv this fall.