Chris Harrison hasn’t been the host of Bachelor Nation shows like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, or Bachelor in Paradise since he stepped away from the franchise in 2021. But the host with the most is back with a brand new Bachelor-inspired podcast The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever…With Chris Harrison. Here’s everything fans need to know about Harrison’s new show, including how to listen and the premiere date.
Chris Harrison’s podcast premieres on Jan. 9, 2023
Representatives from iHeartRadio informed Showbiz Cheat Sheet that Harrison’s podcast, distributed by the network, will premiere on Jan. 9, 2023. New episodes will be available wherever you stream podcasts.
‘The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever…’ will cover Chris Harrison’s exit from Bachelor Nation
“I have not spoken publicly for two years about this,” Harrison says in a trailer for The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever… He stepped down from his role after his interview with Rachel Lindsay. In the interview he defended contestant Rachael Kirkconnell’s attendance at an antebellum party. “I have a lot of thoughts and I think about this every day … of what I want to say and how important it is that I speak to everyone for the first time.”
Harrison called the responsibility “heavy,” but hopes the experience is “cathartic.” He’s also looking forward to “repairing this” and “moving forward.”
The description for the podcast reads: “For two decades, Chris Harrison saw it all. To be honest, maybe too much. Seriously, there are things he just can’t unsee. But his nightmares, his lessons, and all that wisdom are now your gain That’s right, your greatest podcast dreams have just come true! Chris Harrison is back. Who knows what he has to say now? You’re going to want to find out. It’s the most dramatic podcast ever… with Chris Harrison.”
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Why Chris Harrison stepped down from hosting ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette’
Matt James was the first Black male lead in The Bachelor history. So when fans discovered Kirkconnell in pictures from an Old South party, there was tension. In an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay, Harrison suggested, “we all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion” for Kirkconnell.
He continued: “Because I’ve seen some stuff online—again this judge-jury-executioner thing—where people are just tearing this girl’s life apart and diving into, like, her parents and her parents’ voting record. It’s unbelievably alarming to watch this. I haven’t heard Rachael speak on this yet. And until I actually hear this woman have a chance to speak, who am I to say any of this?”
Lindsay reminded Harrison that the photos were taken in 2018 and that regardless of the time, being at an Old South party was not “a good look.” Harrison replied: “Well, Rachel is it a good look in 2018? Or, is it not a good look in 2021? Because there’s a big difference.”
Harrison faced immediate backlash for his comments and later issued an apology via Twitter. “To my Bachelor Nation family — I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology,” he wrote in a since-deleted tweet. “While I do not speak for Rachael Kirkconnell, my intentions were simply to ask for grace in offering her an opportunity to speak on her own behalf. What I now realize I have done is cause harm by wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism and for that I am so deeply sorry.”
Now, Harrison is back and ready to tell his story. Tune in Jan. 9, 2023, to hear what Harrison has to say about his exit as the host of Bachelor Nation.
