Chris Harrison Not Hosting ‘Bachelor in Paradise,’ ‘SNL’ Legend Among Replacements

Chris Harrison will not be returning to host Bachelor in Paradise for the upcoming season. Us Weekly reported on Wednesday that a rotating group of celebrity guests would fill in for Harrison as guest hosts during the course of the season, which will premiere on Aug. 16. It has already been confirmed that Saturday Night Live alum David Spade will be one of the guest hosts for Season 7 of Bachelor in Paradise.

Harrison hosted the first six seasons of Bachelor in Paradise. He has also been the host of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. However, earlier this year, Harrison came under fire after he engaged in an Extra interview, conducted by former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay, during which he made light of the racism allegations against contestant Rachael Kirkconnell and took aim at the “woke police.” He subsequently apologized and announced that he would be taking a step back from the franchise in light of the interview. As a result, there will be new hosts for the upcoming season of Bachelor in Paradise.

While Bachelor in Paradise did not air in the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the hit show will return this year with plenty of love and drama to boot. Other than Spade, there have been no guest hosts announced for Season 7 of the series. Spade will reportedly host the show for two weeks, per Us Weekly. Harrison will also not be returning to host the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, which will star Katie Thurston. The Bachelorette, which premieres on June 7, will see two former Bachelorettes stepping into hosting duties — Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams.

“One thing we kept saying is, ‘My gosh, it would have been so nice to have this when we were the Bachelorette, to have women who have been in our shoes before come in and be there,’” Bristowe told PEOPLE about being one of the co-hosts for the ABC staple. “If it’s just a shoulder to cry on, if it’s you need advice, if you’re feeling alone in it or if you’re feeling like you can’t do it, which we all feel at a certain point.” The Dancing With the Stars champion also said that being one of the hosts allowed her to have a new appreciation for the production of The Bachelorette. She added that it was “nice to just be on the other side of it and see how much effort and compassion and hard work” into the reality show.