Chris Harrison Addresses Permanent Exit From ‘The Bachelor’, Was Allegedly Ready To Sue & Wanted $25 Million Payout

Chris Harrison Addresses Permanent Exit From ‘The Bachelor’, Was Allegedly Ready To Sue & Wanted $25 Million Payout

Update #2 (June 9th): Chris Harrison has addressed his exit from The Bachelor. He said in a statement:

“I’ve had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor 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.”

Warner Horizon and ABC Entertainment also said in a statement,

“Chris Harrison is stepping aside as host of The Bachelor franchise. We are thankful for his many contributions over the past 20 years and wish him all the best on his new journey.”

Meanwhile, sources told Page Six he requested a $25 million payout for his departure. An ABC insider said,

“He has nearly 20 years of dirt. Instead of handing them a rose, he was absolutely ready to hand them a lawsuit detailing all the behind-the-scenes details.”

They continued,

“Chris Harrison’s whole life was ‘The Bachelor,’ and he didn’t want to let go. He still is really sad to leave, and there have been very tough and very heated negotiations going on for weeks. He knows a lot about inappropriate behavior on set: fights between contestants, misbehavior including use of illegal substances while overseas and complaints from producers that were allegedly brushed under the carpet by ABC execs.”

They concluded,

“He was ready to tell the truth about how things really work over there — and he has plenty of evidence to back him up. Chris was making $5 million a season and wanted $25 million to go.”

A separate source said he got well into the millions, but not his desired amount.

Original Story (June 8th): Fans will have to get used to not seeing Chris Harrison on The Bachelor franchise.

Season 17 of The Bachelorette premiered on ABC last night (June 7th) and featured former stars Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe as hosts after Chris Harrison’s race controversy earlier this year.

It looks like Chris Harrison’s absence is a permanent one and he won’t return, according to Deadline.

But he’s not leaving empty-handed. Instead, Harrison, who has hosted the show since its inception in 2002, will reportedly get a payout to the tune of eight figures. The amount comes after his reps were swarmed with negotiations for the last couple of days. He will also have to reportedly stay quiet about his exit.

In February, Harrison received lots of backlash after he defended Bachelorette contestant Rachael Kirkconnell as she was criticized for attending an antebellum-themed party in 2018. He said during an interview with Rachel Lindsay, who was the first black Bachelorette, 

“The woke police is out there. And this poor girl Rachael, who has just been thrown to the lions, I don’t know how you are equipped when you have never done this before, to be woke enough, to be eloquent enough, to be ready to handle this.”

Interestingly enough, Rachael Kirkconnell was a contestant and the final selection for the first black Bachelor Matt James. While he broke up with her over the party attendance and its racial connotation, they have since gotten back together.

Meanwhile, Harrison issued an apology for his remarks.

He said in the heat of the controversy earlier this year,

“To my Bachelor Nation family—I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology. I have this incredible platform to speak about love, and yesterday I took a stance on topics which I should have been better informed.”

He later said he planned to return.

But former NFL and author Emmanuel Acho stepped in to host After The Final Rose in Harrison’s absence to close out Matt James’s season.

This summer’s Bachelor In Paradise will feature rotating hosts.

What are your thoughts on Chris Harrison’s exit being permanent? Comment and let us know.