Unearthing Stories
Devoted fans of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette often invest their time in unearthing stories from the contestants' pasts as they embark on their quest for love within the realms of the ABC reality franchise. During Matt James' groundbreaking season, which commenced in January 2021 frontrunner Rachael Kirkconnell ignited a controversy when viewers began questioning her social media history.
The talented graphic designer faced scrutiny after the premiere of Season 25 of The Bachelor triggered by an accusation made by a TikTok user claiming that she had exhibited racist behavior during her high school years. As the season progressed additional details about Kirkconnells past surfaced through posts and pictures, from a fraternity party with an antebellum theme held in 2018 resurfaced online. In February 2021 she finally broke her silence with a statement shared on Instagram.
'While rumors have been circulating there are also truths that I must address. I am listening to you all. I want to acknowledge that I was wrong ' she expressed. 'There was a time when I failed to comprehend how offensive and racially insensitive my actions were. That does not justify them. Neither my age nor when these incidents occurred can excuse anything. 'They are completely unacceptable and not okay, in any way.
Kirkconnell expressed regret for the harm. Offense her actions caused to communities and individuals. She attributed her ignorance to a lack of education. Sincerely apologized. Additionally she urged Bachelor Nation fans to view her mistakes as an opportunity for growth and learning.
Chris Harrison Criticizes Mike Fleiss as a Narcissist Following Mikes Departure
During an episode of Chris' podcast 'The Podcast Ever ' Meghan King asked Chris if any of the Bachelor leads could be considered narcissists. Chris replied that none came to mind as he believed a narcissist wouldn't be well suited for the role of the Bachelor. However he did mention that Mike exhibited traits stating, 'The creator of the show was. To a degree.. One of the challenges with narcissism is that it's rare for that person to acknowledge it in themselves.'
Ashley and Ben Suspect Mike Fleiss Played a Role, in Chris Harrison's Departure
On their podcast 'Ben and Ashley I' Ben referred to Chris' comment as a subtle insult aimed at Mike's character. Ashley found it remarkable that Chris used language. She speculated that Chris felt comfortable saying this because both men are no longer associated with the show. Ben noted that this is the time their relationship has been discussed publicly after working for twenty years. He questioned whether they ever had a working relationship throughout their time together.
Ben mentioned that he never explicitly inquired about Mike's involvement in Chris' departure. Both he and Ashley presumed it to be accurate. The reason being Mike held the authority in selecting the cast for the show. Consequently it is likely that he possessed a level of control over the choice of host well.
Chris Harrison opened up
In an episode of The Dramatic Podcast Ever Chris Harrison opened up about an incident involving Sean Lowe and the producers of The Bachelor franchise. According to Chris the producers approached Sean to host the Bachelor in Paradise; After Paradise season 2 shows in 2016. Chris felt that they were intentionally pitting him against Sean. They never directly addressed it. The reason behind this alleged friction was Chriss involvement in hosting Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? There seemed to be a lack of synergy between the two shows leading to negotiations and disagreements behind the scenes. However, legally the producers couldn't take any action.
Chris believed that this move was a message aimed at him since he was the only host of Bachelor in Paradise up until that point. The producers apparently expressed their concern that hosting those after shows was baseball', for him and decided to bring in Sean instead. According to Chris this made him feel like they wanted him to realize his replaceability and put him back in his place.
Sean admitted that he had knowledge about the behind the scenes happenings. According to Mike the issue at hand was primarily due to conflicts in Chris' schedule.