Us Weekly confirmed earlier this month which David Spade will be doing a two-week hosting stint on the ABC reality relationship spinoff, set to premiere in August. On Wednesday, June 9, ABC confirmed he'll be joined by a diverse set of stars such as rapper Lil Jon and former boyband heartthrob Lance Bass.
Wells Adams, who's emerged because the trusty bartender on BiP since 2017, is also rumored to be trying his hand alongside his fiancée, Sarah Hyland.
The franchise was under fire for several months after Harrison, 49, asked fans to give controversial contestant Rachael Kirkconnell"elegance" for her past racially insensitive social media articles, some of that showed her attending an antebellum-themed party in 2018. During a heated interview using Rachel Lindsay in February, the longtime host questioned whether the 25-year-old Georgia native's mistakes were being fairly judged.
"Can it be [not] a fantastic look in 2018 or is it not a fantastic look in 2021?" Harrison requested Lindsay, 36, that was the franchise's first Black direct in 2017.
Later that month, the Texas native declared that he'd be stepping back from his hosting duties for the remainder of Matt James' season 25 of The Bachelor. In March, the system confirmed that Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams are carrying over for year 17 of The Bachelorette. However, Harrison claimed to Good Morning America he hoped to return to the gig.
"I plan to return and I want to be back," he said, trying to find his remarks. "And I think this franchise may be an important beacon of change. I am aware that change is sensed, not just by me, but by others."
Three months afterwards, Us verified that Harrison was officially out after Deadline reported details of his eight-figure payout. "Chris Harrison is stepping aside as host of The Bachelor franchise," Warner Horizon and ABC Entertainment said in a statement. "We are thankful for his many contributions over the past twenty decades and wish him all the best on his new journey"
Plans season 18 of The Bachelor, that will comprise Michelle Young, are"still unknown," a resource only told Us, as the rotating host setup on BiP may be"as an audition" into"test" more permanent options for its role.
