In June 2021, Bachelor host Chris Harrison left the franchise after making some controversial comments in defense of a Bachelor contestant accused of racism. This exit came nearly 20 years after the start of his journey with the franchise, and fans were left shocked, confused, and emotionally torn. Now, nearly 18 months later, Chris Harrison is returning to the spotlight with a new podcast to discuss his exit and more.
The podcast will debut in January 2023, and is titled The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever...With Chris Harrison. Here's everything we know about what led to his exit from the franchise in 2021 and what to expect with the release of his new podcast.
8 Who Is Chris Harrison?
Chris Harrison is a reality TV show host from Dallas, Texas. As mentioned, Harrison is best known for his role as the host of The Bachelor and its spinoff shows. He has also been the host of a few other shows, including Designers Challenge on HGTV and the American Music Awards on ABC in 2008.
Chris was married to Gwen Harrison, and they had two boys together named Joshua and Taylor, but in 2012 Gwen and Chris announced that they would be getting divorced after 18 years of marriage. In 2018, Chris was rumored to be dating Lauren Zima, a reporter and journalist from Entertainment Tonight, and they announced their engagement in October 2021.
7 What Was Chris' Career Like On The Bachelor?
Chris Harrison began hosting The Bachelor and its spinoff shows in 2002. He continued in that role until 2021, when he left the franchise following controversy. During his time on the show, he was a beloved host, often being the one that contestants turned to for advice on what to do as well as being on the receiving end of love from fans of the show. His exit from the show, then, came with some surprise. In fact, Chris Harrison is still friends with many Bachelor Nation stars.
6 Why Did He Leave The Franchise?
Chris Harrison left The Bachelor franchise in June 2021 after making some controversial comments in defense of Rachael Kirkconnell, who won Matt James' season of The Bachelor. After Kirkconnell was found to have won the show, photos of her at an antebellum party were leaked to the public, and Harrison defended the photos saying it was "a different time" in an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsey.
Harrison later apologized for his comment on both social media and in an interview with Good Morning America, but some fans slammed the former host for his seemingly 'rehearsed' apology. The backlash from the incident was too much for him to remain a part of the franchise, and Harrison received an approximate $9 million payout to leave the show,
5 Who Took Over For Chris After He Left The Bachelor Franchise?
In February 2021, Chris Harrison announced that he would be temporarily stepping aside as host of The Bachelor. By March, former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe were announced as the new hosts for the upcoming season. The reaction following the announcement was mixed; many fans of The Bachelor were divided on Chris' official replacements.
When Harrison announced his permanent departure from the franchise in June, Jesse Palmer was announced as the new, permanent host of the show. Palmer was the lead of The Bachelor in 2004, becoming the first professional sports player to appear on the show.
4 What Has He Been Doing Since Leaving?
Since leaving The Bachelor franchise, Chris Harrison has been spending time with his two sons and his partner, Lauren Zima. In October 2021, Harrison announced his engagement to Zima, who is a reporter and journalist from Entertainment Tonight. The debut of Harrison's podcast will be his first time returning to the spotlight since departing from his role as Bachelor host.
3 What Is The New Podcast About?
Harrison's new podcast is set to air on January 9th, about 18 months after his Bachelor departure. The show will be called The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever...With Chris Harrison, and is being debuted through iHeartRadio. It will be the first part of a series of shows that Harrison will produce alongside his soon-to-be wife, Lauren Zima, as a part of the couple's Next Chapter Productions with iHeartPodcasts.
In part, the official description for the podcast reads, "For decades, Chris Harrison was the voice of all things love and relationships. From fantasy suites to dumpster fires, he’s seen it all, and now he’s bringing it to you with The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever…With Chris Harrison. Fans can expect to hear Chris open up like never before."
2 What Topics Will The Podcast Cover?
While the press release from iHeartRadio doesn't explicitly mention The Bachelor or any of its spinoff shows, what Chris has said so far about what will be covered has alluded to his departure being a main point of discussion. In addition to highlighting that controversy, the podcast will also touch on what Chris Harrison has built a career off of: relationships. He's said that the show will cover “all things relationships,” including “dating, marriage, love, loss and more."
1 What Has Chris Said About It?
Chris Harrison admitted to having nerves about discussing his departure from The Bachelor franchise and his upcoming podcast, saying, “I have not spoken publicly for two years about this, and I have a lot of thoughts. I think about this every day, truly every day of my life, I think about this and what I want to say and how important it is that I speak to everyone for the first time. It’s heavy. It’s really heavy. We’ll see how it goes… I think it will be cathartic. I’m looking forward to getting this off my shoulders and repairing this, moving forward and letting everybody hear from me.”
One thing is for sure: Chris is ready to tell all, and we can't wait to hear what he has to say.
