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Chris Harrison exits as The Bachelor USA host

Long-time host ends his 25 season run following a racism row surrounding the show.

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Long-time host of The Bachelor USA Chris Harrison is stepping down permanently, ending his 25 season run.

His departure follows widespread criticism of his comments on race.

Harrison made a statement, posting to his Instagram, “I’ve had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise and now I’m excited to start a new chapter. I’m so grateful to Bachelor Nation for all of the memories we’ve made together. While my two-decade journey is wrapping up, the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime.”

Controversy first erupted in February after he excused past behaviour of a cast member who had been accused of racism, saying he was not the “woke police”.

Harrison, who also fronted The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, “stepped aside” in February and apologised for “speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism” during an interview with former Bachelorette Rachelle Lindsay.

In the interview, he commented on photos showing The Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell at a ball themed around a slavery-era plantation when she was 18.

He later issued a longer apology, saying: “By excusing historical racism, I defended it. I invoked the term ‘woke police’, which is unacceptable. I am ashamed over how uninformed I was. I was so wrong.”

Kirkconnell also apologised, saying: “At one point, I didn’t recognise how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn’t excuse them.

“My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist.”

In June 2020, fans petitioned for the show to address the unequal treatment of cast members of colour.

The show responded with a promise to address their race issues by casting more people of colour, and announced The Bachelor‘s first black lead, Matt James, for the series in which Kirkconnell was a contestant.

She ended up winning, and she and James are still in a relationship.

The Bachelor US has screened in Australia on 9GEM.

Source: BBC

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  2. CH is the show. Its really not going to be the same. Agree with BourkieBoy, cancel culture is out of control! You should not have to lose your job over a comment you make – you can educate yourself and be better without losing your job. The people in Bachelor Nation have a lot to answer for – they cut so many people down and are probably less than perfect themselves! I feel this may be the end of the Bachelor franchise in the US….

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