Chris Harrison Is Saying Goodbye to the ‘Bachelor’ Franchise for Good

Calling all Bachelor fans, we’ve got huge news. Chris Harrison will not be returning to the franchise. 

Deadline broke the news on Tuesday (just hours after the premiere of season 17 of The Bachelorette) that the series host has exited the franchise for good. Per the outlet, Harrison reached an eight-figure settlement with ABC for his departure. 

The news comes a few months after it was revealed Harrison was “stepping aside” from the popular dating series after coming under fire for his defense of controversial contestant Rachael Kirkconnell. Following the controversy, ABC opted to replace Harrison with Bachelor alums Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe for the latest season of The Bachelorette. 

The announcement was shared on the @bacheloretteabc Instagram account, where the producers of the show stated, “Chris Harrison will not be hosting the next season of 'The Bachelorette'...In his absence, former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe will support the new Bachelorette through next season.”

And just last week, we learned that comedian David Spade is stepping in to take his place on the popular vacation spinoff, Bachelor in Paradise. 

Harrison’s departure comes after a 19-year run as host of the reality series. The news has been confirmed by a handful of outlets including Us Weekly and Entertainment Weekly. However, it’s important to note that representatives for Harrison have yet to officially comment on the news or release a statement. 

So, while the change will definitely be something to get used to, we’re excited to see what (and who) the show brings in the future.  

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