‘The Bachelor’: Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams Dish on Taking Over for Chris Harrison

Amidst the controversy surrounding Chris Harrison, the Bachelor franchise announced that he would not be hosting the upcoming season of The Bachelorette. In his place, two former Bachelorettes — Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe — will take on hosting duties. As PEOPLE reported, both Adams and Bristowe have since spoken out on the news that they will be taking part in the newest season of The Bachelorette.

On Instagram, Adams posted a photo of herself donning a stunning, strapless dress to announce the news. Alongside the image, the former Bachelorette shared her excitement about hosting the upcoming season of the ABC series with her friend, Bristowe. She wrote, “Trading in the crown and dress, but don’t stress…. so excited to spend another season with you all. See you on your television screen this summer! And you thought you could get rid of me.” Adams also addressed the opportunity on her Instagram Story and even noted that Harrison “congratulated” her on being a part of the upcoming season.

“I feel so honored to be given the opportunity but I’m just so, so, so happy,” Adams said. “And I’m so happy that you guys are happy. I’ve been getting so many phenomenal messages and words of encouragement; it means so much. And the fact that I talked to Chris the other day and he was so kind and congratulated me for being part of the next season meant the absolute world.” She added, “So with that being said, y’all, let’s freakin’ go! Bachelorette 17, your girl’s here, baby!” As for Bristowe, she addressed the news on social media just as Adams did. She posted a video of herself and Adams dancing, captioning the clip with, “Let’s go girls … @tayshia.”

In the comments section of the post, Bristowe responded to several fans who criticized the fact that Harrison will not be a part of the Bachelorette season. One fan wrote, “Sorry but no. Love you Kaitlyn but Chris is the only host for The Bachelor/Bachelorette.” In turn, Bristowe clarified, “truthfully we are there to support new bachelorette. We aren’t “replacing” anyone!!!” Not only will Harrison not host the new season of The Bachelorette, but he will also not be hosting the After the Final Rose special following the finale of Matt James‘ season of The Bachelor. Emmanuel Acho, a former football player and the author of Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man, will host After the Final Rose. Even with all of these changes, it’s still unclear whether Harrison will have a future within Bachelor Nation.