Chris Harrison is ready to chat.
The former Bachelor host is launching a new podcast, promising to share his side of the story about his very dramatic exit from the ABC franchise in June 2021.
The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever … With Chris Harrison from iHeartRadio will premiere Jan. 9, 2023. The show, Harrison’s first podcast, is part of a slate of shows the TV personality will executive produce alongside his fiancée Lauren Zima and their Next Chapter Productions for iHeartPodcasts.
Related Stories
In a trailer released with Monday’s announcement, Harrison is heard telling a producer that he’s nervous.
“I have not spoken publicly for two years about this, and I have a lot of thoughts,” he says, referencing his split from the ABC franchise he had hosted for 20 years following controversy during the 2021 season of The Bachelor. “I think about this every day. Truly, every day of my life, I think about this and what I want to say, and how important it is that I speak to everyone for the first time.”
He continues, “It’s heavy. It’s really heavy. We’ll see how it goes. We may scrap this whole thing to be honest, I don’t know. But I think it will be cathartic. I’m looking forward to getting this off my shoulders, and repairing this, moving forward and letting everybody hear from me.”
He then opens the show with an introduction, telling listeners, “I think it’s time we talk.”
Fans have not heard from Harrison on the topic since he stepped away from his longtime position following backlash over a racism controversy that began during Matt James’ historic 25th season of The Bachelor. Harrison stepped aside temporarily as host when he came under fire for not denouncing allegations of racism against a contestant, Rachael Kirkconnell, who would go on to win the season. The permanent decision came after weeks of a failed apology tour and behind-the-scenes discussions that ultimately led to his ouster.
ABC and producers Warner Bros. offered brief public statements at the time, as did Harrison himself, after reaching a confidential settlement and reportedly big payday for Harrison, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
The official description for the podcast — which also notes that Harrison is ready to “tell all” — reads as follows: “For decades, Chris Harrison was the voice of all things love and relationships. From fantasy suites to dumpster fires, he’s seen it all and now he’s bringing it to you with The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever … With Chris Harrison. Fans can expect to hear Chris open up like never before. Using his unparalleled expertise, he will dig into all things relationships every week. Fans will no longer just be going along for the ride, they’ll be up close and personal with Chris as he navigates through dating, marriage, love, loss and more. For the first time ever, Chris will discuss everything, and there’s no telling what he will have to say.”
The show is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and will be available on the iHeartRadio app and anywhere podcasts are heard.
