Chris Harrison Responds to ‘Bachelor’ Fans Who Miss Him as Host

Chris Harrison has broken his silence on Twitter after leaving The Bachelor franchise following racism controversy earlier this year, using the platform on Wednesday, July 21 to respond to several fans. “You think @chrisbharrison misses us as much as we miss him? #TheBachelorette,” one fan wrote. Harrison retweeted the message and replied, “I truly do!”

In another tweet, he responded to a Canadian fan who wrote that “the shows just aren’t the same” without him. “Miss you all too. So many loyal fans up in Canada,” Harrison replied. “Thank you!” In a third reply to a fan who told the former host they “love” and “miss” him, Harrison wrote, “Love all of you too. Always have, always will!” The tweets were the former host’s first since a February 10 apology note he posted following an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay in which Harrison appeared to defend Rachel Kirkconnell, who was then a contestant on The Bachelor, after she made headlines for attending an Antebellum-themed party in college.

“To my Bachelor Nation family — I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology. I have this incredible platform to speak about love, and yesterday I took a stance on topics which I should have been better informed,” he wrote. “While I do not speak for Rachael Kirkconnell, my intentions were simply to ask for grace in offering her an opportunity to speak on her own behalf.”

“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 continued, apologizing to Lindsay for not “listening to her better” during their discussion. “I promise to do better,” he concluded.

Harrison later announced that he would be sitting out of the rest of Matt James‘ Bachelor season, which was airing at the time. He appeared on Good Morning America and apologized again, declaring his intention to return to the franchise, but it was announced in March that former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe would be hosting Katie Thurston’s season of the show, which is currently airing. When Bachelor in Paradise premieres in August, the series will feature rotating hosts, including David Spade.

In June, it was confirmed that Harrison would be leaving The Bachelor franchise following a reported eight-figure settlement. “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 at the time. “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.”