Earlier this year, Chris Harrison took a leave of absence from hosting “The Bachelor” franchise after receiving major blowback from fans and former contestants for his controversial, racially insensitive comments during an interview with “Extra” host and former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay. In the interim, former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe took over the hosting gig for Katie Thurston’s season of the show. While David Spade signed on as the host of “Bachelor in Paradise” for this summer. Fans were let wondering if Harrison, who’d hosted the show for the last 19 seasons, would ever return.
Following the Season 17 premiere of “The Bachelorette”, the 49-year-old posted on social media announcing he wouldn’t be returning to the popular franchise, “I’ve had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise and now I’m excited to start a new chapter,” he wrote on Instagram. “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.”
So, what does Rachel Lindsay have to say about Harrison’s announcement? Read on to find out.
Rachel Lindsay 'wasn't expecting' Chris Harrison to step down
Rachel Lindsay appeared on “Extra” following Chris Harrison’s announcement that he’d be stepping down. In a conversation with co-host Billy Bush, she admitted she was surprised by this decision. “I wasn’t expecting for it to happen, not after the announcement,” Rachel revealed. “I think several past contestants coming forward and saying they didn’t want him to be part of ‘Paradise.’ I think Katie Thurston, her very last tweet before she went to film her season was that Chris needed to step away. I think that, coupled with the interview that happened on this very stage, maybe led to him not coming back,” Rachel speculated (via People).
Rachel wasn’t convinced it was just his comments on the show that caused the long-term host to step down. “Well, it’s been 19 years and if you do watch the show we saw less and less of Chris. 19 years is a big accomplishment. Maybe that’s the case. We don’t know. Maybe they were ready to move on,” Rachel contemplated on the “Extra” segment.
So, who will replace Harrison as the permanent host of the franchise? Stay tuned to find out!
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