Chris Harrison Hires Lawyer – Is He Suing ABC?

Chris Harrison/YouTube

Bachelor Nation host Chris Harrison hires a lawyer. What do we know about the escalating situation?

There has been a lot of drama surrounding Season 25 of The Bachelor. And most of it happened behind-the-scenes of the ABC dating competition. In 2020, the network proudly announced that Matt James would be the first Black Bachelor.

Many found the timing suspect, as it came at the height of racial tensions following George Floyd’s death. Some felt the show was trying to appease claims of racial inequality on the show. 

Things only got worse during Season 25. Frontrunner Rachael Kirkconnell’s past racially insensitive behavior came to light. Photos of her attending an ‘old south’ sorority party went viral. Bachelor Nation host Chris Harrison went on Extra to ask for “grace” for Kirkconnell. He essentially said it wasn’t a big deal. Bachelor Nation disagreed. 

By the end of February, Rachael Kirkconnell and Chris Harrison both issued apologies. Harrison also took a temporary break from hosting the franchise. Rachael Kirkconnell did ‘win’ the season. However, Matt James ended their relationship after the photos went public. 

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ABC Announces Changes for Upcoming Bachelorette Season 

Chris Harrison did appear in the last handful of Bachelor episodes because they were already filmed before the scandal. Author and Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho stepped in for After the Final Rose. Chris Harrison never said how long he’ll be gone from the franchise, leading to a lot of confusion and rumors. 

ABC put some of the speculation to bed by confirming if Harrison would be back in time for Season 17 of Bachelorette filming this month. During ATFR, Katie Thruston was named Bachelorette. Michelle Young is also a Bachelorette… for Season 18, which will air this fall. 

What about the host? Chris Harrison will not be back for Season 17. Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams will serve as mentors to Katie Thurston. Both stars have avoided using the word “host” to describe their role. 

Chris Harrison Retains Lawyer 

If ABC hoped their announcement regarding The Bachelorette would quell the rumors, they are in for a shock. Page Six published a bombshell report that Chris Harrison has hired a powerful attorney. Could he be planning to sue ABC?

The lawyer Harrison hired, Bryan Freedman, represented Gabrielle Union during her allegations against NBC. The America’s Got Talent judge complained about a “toxic environment.” The network’s internal investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing. However, they reportedly extended a monetary settlement to Union. 

Is He Ready to Tell All on the Franchise? 

Neither the network or Bachelor Nation producers have spoken up in defense of Chris Harrison. The silence is shocking. After all, Harrison has been hosting the show since it began in 2002. 

Is Chris Harrison sick of being the scapegoat for the network? Possibly. A source told Page Six that Chris Harrison is fed up with the franchise. The source said that Harrison is “ready to tell the truth about how things really work over there” Furthemore, “[Harrison] has plenty of evidence to back him up.”

So far there hasn’t been any indication that Harrison plans a legal battle against ABC. Do you think Chris Harrison should pursue legal action against the network? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. 

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Jennifer Havener
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