Reality Show Host Cancelled After Racism Controversy
A reality show host has been cancelled due to claims of racism.
This article is more than 2 years old
Chris Harrison will not be returning to host ABC‘s Bachelor in Paradise this summer as he is being cancelled due to a controversy regarding comments that were seen as racist. But fans of the show don’t need to worry. Hosting duties will be carried out by a variety of celebrity guests and comedians, including David Spade.
Longtime host Harrison was dropped from the show and cancelled due to backlash for racially insensitive comments. According to a report by Variety, offers to celebrity talent are still being considered but the deal with Spade is a sure thing.
However, when asked to comment about Harrison being cancelled, ABC and Warner Bros. TV declined. The network and studio also declined to comment on Spade.
Harrison is the newest celebrity figure to get cancelled by viewers in February after he made some questionable comments during an interview about the controversy surrounding Rachael Kirkconnell, a contestant on The Bachelor who ended up winning the season with Matt James – the first Black lead of the popular reality series.
After controversial images of Kirkconnell attending an “Old South Plantation” themed party in 2018 resurfaced on social media this year, Harrison defended her and ended up being cancelled by fans.
When media coverage became purely scandalous, James and Kirkconnell briefly separated and addressed the issue during the show’s finale, After the Final Rose. But it’s not all bad news as James and Kirkconnell are back together. The couple has since publicized their relationship on social media and in the press.
However, Harrison’s future with the Bachelor franchise remains unclear. After his comments, Harrison apologized and said he would be stepping away from the show for an undisclosed period of time. At the time the former host said he is “dedicated to getting educated on a more profound and productive level than ever before.”
It was later revealed that Harrison would not be hosting the new season of The Bachelorette either. Instead, Bachelorette alums and fan-favorites Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe will serve as co-hosts for the season, which is set to premiere on June 7th.
Back in February, ABC Entertainment and Warner Horizon issued a joint statement in support of Chris Harrison and the “work that he is committed to doing.” But in the months since, there has been no indication if they still have his back. Sources say the network and studio want to see if he remains canceled in the realm of social media for making a final decision.
