It seems The Bachelor host Chris Harrison's hiatus from Bachelor Nation will be even longer than originally anticipated. Chris Harrison will not be returning as host for the next season of Bachelor in Paradise. Instead, his replacement might shock some fans. Rather than a Bachelor Nation alum, comedian and actor David Spade will be stepping into the hosting position.
Fans of The Bachelor heard from an apologetic Chris Harrison himself that, due to this last season's controversy amidst the first-ever Black Bachelor, Matt James, he would briefly be stepping away from hosting the franchise. Chris Harrison was replaced on After the Final Rose by Emmanuel Acho. Additionally, the upcoming season of The Bachelorette with Katie Thurston will not be hosted by Chris. Instead, two Bachelorette alums, Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe, will be filling the role.
Fans are not only shocked to hear that Chris Harrison will not be back for Bachelor in Paradise, but are equally surprised at who has been chosen as his replacement. David Spade seems like an odd choice. However, according to Page Six, David Spade is a huge Bachelor Nation fan. "Spade was picked because he’s a Bachelor superfan who’s built a cult following among fellow fans because of the hilarious commentary about the show that he doles out on his Instagram account," an insider said. He has also gone on Jimmy Kimmel Live and discuss all things Bachelor and Bachelorette with fellow Uber fan Jimmy Kimmel.
The controversy surrounding Chris Harrison, for those needing to be kept up to speed, began when photos resurfaced of frontrunner contestant Rachael Kirkconnell from Matt James season. They were from 2018, where Rachael was seen at an antebellum-themed college party. While waiting for an open apology from Rachael, Chris Harrison appeared on Extra and was asked his opinion in an interview with Rachel Lindsey. Chris said he thought people should "have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion" for Rachael, saying she was just attending a party as an 18-year-old. He also thought the lens in 2018 was different from 2021. This did not sit well with many.
Perhaps comic relief on the upcoming Bachelor in Paradise is just what Bachelor Nation needs to take a 360-degree turn from all the drama. The upcoming Bachelorette airs next week and hopefully marks a return to some kind of normalcy for the Bachelor franchise. Fan favorites Tayshia and Kaitlyn are sure to help lighten the mood, as we all cheer on Katie as she finds her happy ending.
Source: Page Six