‘The Bachelor’ Host Chris Harrison Apologizes For Defending Contestants Racist Behavior

Chris Harrison, the host of The Bachelor, has issued an apology after facing backlash for defending contestant Rachael Kirkconnell’s racist 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,” Harrison wrote. “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 Rachel Kirkconnell, my intentions were simply to ask for grace in offering her an opportunity to speak on her own behalf,” he continued. “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.”

A TikTok user accused Kirkconnell of bullying her in the past for dating Black men, then just a week later, another user accused Kirkconnell of liking racist photos. Photos pics of Kirkconnell at an Old South plantation-themed party while in college have also surfaced online.

Harrison defended her actions by saying the pics were taken years ago,