Ousted ‘Bachelor’ Host Chris Harrison Is Making His Return to TV

Chris Harrison is making his way back to TV following his controversial exit from The Bachelor franchise. Nearly three years after his departure from Bachelor Nation, Harrison confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that he has signed on with Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media to host both a morning show and a dating show while contributing to Dr. Phil Primetime.

“Call it divine intervention, karma, kismet, whatever it is, the fact that Dr. Phil created this network in my own backyard here in Dallas, it means the world to me to, not only be returning to television, but to be doing it here in a hometown crowd,” Harrison said. He continued, “People got to know and love me for two decades hosting The Bachelor, so, yes, we are going to be creating a reality dating show. For years and years I said, ‘This is the most dramatic show ever.’ We want to create a show where those words actually ring true, so this dating show will be the most dramatic ever – that you can be sure of.”

Harrison exited The Bachelor franchise in June 2021 amid a wave of backlash after he defended Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell for attending a “plantation-themed” sorority party in college to Rachel Lindsay, the first Black bachelorette. Harrison apologized at the time for “wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism” before leaving his hosting role of two decades. 

Harrison then began working with Merit Street Media by contributing to Dr. Phil Primetime, and Dr. Phil said he was “so good on camera” that the audience “went insane” the first time they saw him. Now, in addition to his new dating show, Harrison will also team up with his wife, former ET correspondent Lauren Zima, to host a morning show.

“Not only do I get to return to television, I get to do it with the woman I love,” the Bachelor in Paradise alum gushed. “Our relationship is a big part of the morning show,” Zima added. “The morning show we’re pulling together is gonna be a place for us to play, to have fun. What matters the most to both of us has always been our audience, so we want to be able to connect with them. What’s more relatable than talking about our relationship and what’s going on in our own lives?” She continued, “I also think the morning show is gonna be a place to be silly and to play. We want to give people a light, fun, entertaining moment in their mornings in a time when a lot of what’s out there is tough.”