Deadline reported the news on Tuesday, June 8, revealing that Chris will receive a “mid-range eight-figure payoff” for the promise that he “keep his mouth shut” about the backstage drama behind his departure. Deadline also implied that both the Bachelor franchise and Harrison will be publicly cordial about the departure, but that “there is certainly no romance in the air behind the scenes.” Later in the day, Harrison confirmed the news on Instagram, writing, “I’ve had a truly incredible run as host of TheBachelor franchise and now I’m excited to start a new chapter. 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.” Harrison’s departure comes four months after he and the franchise became mired in controversy, which started when old photos surfaced of Bachelor winner Rachael Kirkconnell at an antebellum-themed college party in 2018. Another photo showed her dressed in a Native American costume. Harrison did an interview with former Bachelorette star Rachel Lindsay for Extra after the photos surfaced and defended Kirkconnell. “Would this girl, at, I don’t know how old she would have been back then, have thought, ‘You know, historically, this mansion stood for this,’" he said. “‘Guys it’s not really that woke that we’re here,’” he said. Chris also used the term “woke police,” during his interview and asked people to have “a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion” for Kirkconnell. (Kirkconnell later issued her own apology, both on Instagram and during The Bachelor’s After the Final Rose episode.) After taking a lot of heat for the interview, Harrison released a statement on Instagram, apologizing for his comments and saying that he was “deeply sorry.” The backlash continued, with critics urging ABC, which airs The Bachelor, to remove Harrison from his role. A few days later, Harrison announced that he would be “stepping aside” from his hosting duties “for a period of time.” He also said that he planned to educate himself about racism and would try to “evolve and be a better man.” Harrison did an interview with Good Morning America in March where he made it clear that he planned to remain with the Bachelor franchise. Harrison said that he made a “mistake” by defending Kirkconnell’s past actions and called himself “imperfect.” “I plan to be back and I want to be back,” he continued. “This interview is not the finish line. There is much more work to be done and I am excited to be part of that change. …I made a mistake and I own that. Racism, oppression, these are big, dynamic problems and they take serious work. And I am committed to that work.” He was replaced as host of the latest season of The Bachelorette by former Bachelorette stars Tayshia Adams and KaitlynBristowe, and is being replaced by David Spade and other celebrities for Bachelor in Paradise. It’s unclear at this point whether ABC has a permanent replacement in mind. Bristowe was among those who praised Harrison on June 8 after he said goodbye to Bachelor Nation on social media. In an Instagram comment, she wrote, “You are truly irreplaceable as a host, thank you for all the years you put into this show and making it what it is. No one does it quite like Mr. Chris Harrison.” Next, find out who Katie Thurston sent home on Night 1 of The Bachelorette.
