Chris Harrison Responds to Backlash Following Rachael Kirkconnell Comments

Bachelor host Chris Harrison has issued an apology after backlash that resulted from his comments about Rachael Kirkconnell.

Harrison took to Instagram one day after an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay on ExtraTV to speak out after fans slammed him for seeming to defend Kirkconnell’s controversial behavior.

“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 about which I should have been better informed. 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. I also apologize to my friend Rachel Lindsay for not listening to her better on a topic she has a first-hand understanding of, and humbly thank the members of Bachelor Nation who have reached out to me to hold me accountable. I promise to do better,” Harrison wrote in and Instagram post on Wednesday evening.

Harrison chose to shut the comments off on the post.

Here’s what you need to know:

Chris Harrison Said He Respected Rachael Kirkconnell Enough to Give Her the Opportunity to Speak out Before He Did

Chris Harrison & Rachel Lindsay Talk ‘Bachelor’ Contestant Rachael Kirkconnell“The Bachelor” contestant Rachael Kirkconnell made headlines after photos emerged of her at an antebellum plantation-themed fraternity formal in 2018. There are also allegations that she had liked racist social media posts and more. “Extra’s” Rachel Lindsay caught up with Chris Harrison to get his thoughts on the matter.2021-02-10T01:41:15Z

During his interview with Lindsay, Harrison spoke very highly about Kirkconnell. He didn’t comment on her questionable behavior, but made mention of the photos of Kirkconnell at an Old South ball, sort of blowing them off as some “sorority party” that happened “five years ago.”

“First and foremost, I don’t know. I haven’t talked to Rachael about it, we all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion. I have seen some stuff online, again, this judge, jury, executioner thing where people are just tearing this girl’s life apart… Until I actually hear this woman have a chance to speak, who am I to say any of this… I saw a picture of her at a sorority party five years ago that’s it,” Harrison told Lindsay.

You can watch the full segment in the video above.

Chris Harrison’s Apology Comes After Fans Started a Petition to Have Him Removed as the Host of ‘Bachelor’ Franchise Shows

Not long after Harrison’s interview with Lindsay aired, it went viral. Social media filled up with people calling Harrison out for not standing up for people of color.

A Reddit thread titled “If this show is going to get better for POC, Chris Harrison has to go” has more than 1,700 upvotes. So far, 465 comments have been added to the thread, with many fans calling for Harrison to lose his job.

“It’s time for a NEW host! It’s these type of racists remarks that hold us back from a future of more love & peace in this,” wrote one Redditor.

“This interview is SO much worse then [sic] I thought it would be going in. It’s f*cking terrible, racism apologist bullsh*t,” added another.

Several people also commented that they signed the petition, which was started in an effort to remove Chris Harrison from the franchise. The Change.org petition has grown to more than 12,000 signatures in just a couple of hours.

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