'The Bachelor': Chris Harrison Is Still On-Air After Scandal, and It's Awkward
02/15/2021 11:43 pm EST
During his interview with Lindsay, Harrison defended Kirkconnell and the controversy surrounding her alleged racist actions. He even noted that he took issue with the "woke police" and said that there needed to give the "poor girl" more time before she released a statement about the matter. As Lindsay pointed out, it has been some time since this scandal arose, and fans have been curious as to how Kirkconnell would address her alleged behavior especially since she is competing on a season with the franchise's first Black male lead.
It didn't take long for Harrison to receive backlash for his comments. In fact, many Bachelor Nation fans, and former contestants on the shows, have even spoken out about this matter.
Following the controversy, the longtime Bachelor host did release a statement in which he apologized for "wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism." He wrote, "What I now realize I have done is cause harm by wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism, and for that, I am so deeply sorry." He then offered an apology to Lindsay for not "listening to her better" during their interview. Harrison also noted, "I promise to do better."
Harrison didn't just release an apology, he also addressed his future with this season of The Bachelor. In a separate message, the host said that he will be stepping aside for the traditional After the Final Rose special that airs at the end of each Bachelor and Bachelorette season. It has not yet been announced who will be taking his place.
Kirkconnell, who has been at the center of this controversy, offered up her own apology amidst this scandal. She wrote, in a statement that was posted on Instagram, "While there have been rumors circulating, there have also been truths that have come to light that I need to address. I hear you, I am here to say I was wrong. At one point, I didn't recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn't excuse them. My age or when it happened doesn't excuse anything. They are not acceptable or okay in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist."
Many Bachelor viewers noted that it was awkward to watch the episode considering everything that has taken place in Bachelor Nation over the past week. One user even wrote, "Watching Chris Harrison now is like looking at a ghost."
As previously stated, Harrison will not be taking on his typical hosting duties for the After the Final Rose special. As far as his future with the franchise is concerned, it's unclear what his role will be (if he does have one) going forward.
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