|
Chris Harrison, who has hosted ABC's "The
Bachelor" and spinoffs including "The Bachelorette" and
"Bachelor in Paradise" since 2002, will not be returning after
temporarily stepping aside in February, ABC and production
company Warner Horizon said in a joint statement.
“Chris Harrison is stepping aside as host of 'The Bachelor'
franchise. We are thankful for his many contributions over the
past 20 years and wish him all the best on his new journey,” the
companies said in a statement.
Harrison said in an Instagram post that he had enjoyed "a truly
incredible run" as host.
"While my two-decade journey is wrapping up, the friendships
I’ve made will last a lifetime," he added.
Harrison's future with the franchise has been in limbo since
February when he sparked controversy for comments he made
defending "The Bachelor" contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who won
in March when she was paired up with Matt James, the first-ever
Black male lead.
Images of Kirkconnell attending an antebellum-themed fraternity
party in 2018, and wearing Native American attire while she was
a college student, surfaced on social media while the show was
airing.
Harrison's comments fueled a long-running debate about a lack of
diversity on the Bachelor franchise and came at a time of a
wider reckoning in the United States following mass protests in
2020 over the deaths of unarmed Black men and women while in
police custody.
Despite launching in 2002, the franchise did not have a Black
person as a lead contestant until 2017, when Rachel Lindsay was
cast as the first Black "Bachelorette."
Both Harrison and Kirkconnell later apologized for their
comments and actions, and Harrison said he was stepping aside
temporarily as host.
Tuesday's statement did not say who would replace Harrison as
host of the franchise.
"The Bachelor" and its spin-off shows are among the most
-watched and discussed shows on ABC, with a fan following known
as Bachelor Nation.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content
|
|
