The most dramatic rumor ever? Rachel Lindsay addressed the false reports that ABC was considering bringing back Chris Harrison after his controversial exit as host of The Bachelor franchise.
After a fan asked a question about Harrison’s “return to The Bachelor” during the Monday, March 13, episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, the host, 54, seemed surprised. “Oh, I haven’t heard that rumor — is that a rumor?” Andy Cohen asked.
“I think it’s a rumor that his team started,” Lindsay, 37, responded. “I mean, he’s got a podcast to promote, it’s something to talk about, you know what I mean? There’s no way. They went through so much with what was going on with everything and the fallout. There’s no way they would have those conversations.”
Harrison, 51, launched “The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever” in January, his first project since the network cut ties with him in 2021 amid the backlash from his defense of Bachelor season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell during an interview with Lindsay for Extra. (Kirkconnell, who is still dating lead Matt James, who was under fire for resurfaced photos of her at an Old South-themed party in college.) Last month, the Perfect Letter author said he believed Radar Online’s report that ABC might want him to return.
“[The report said] internal conversations are being had by ABC executives about bringing me back. Do I think these conversations have happened? Probably,” Harrison said on February 20. “I think it would almost be crazy not to if you’re running a business, any business at all, and that business sales are down 50 to 60 percent and falling — and everybody can see the numbers, we know what’s happening — and you think there’s something that could change that and fix that? Of course you’re going to have that conversation. You would be crazy not to have that conversation.”
He continued: “With the advent of this podcast, they’ve seen the numbers. They’ve seen the response in my social media. They’re not deaf to all of that. They’ve seen what’s happening, so am I shocked these conversations are happening? No. It would not be a surprise. In fact, I would be shocked if they aren’t happening.”
A source subsequently told Us Weekly, however, that there was no truth to the report. Following Harrison’s exit, Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams were tapped to host seasons 17 and 18 of The Bachelorette. Jesse Palmer was named the permanent replacement for season 26 of The Bachelor and beyond.
“I thought, to be completely candid, that Wells was going to get the job,” Harrison said in a separate podcast episode, referring to Bachelor in Paradise bartender Wells Adams. “I even told him, I said, ‘Hey, man, I won’t speak out publicly because I don’t think that will help you at all. In fact, it would do a lot more harm than good. But I really hope you get the job. I think you’d be great at it.’”
When asked about Harrison’s comments about Adams, Palmer told Us Weekly: “[I have] no reaction, really. I mean, he’s obviously entitled to his own opinion as everybody is. I’m just really happy for Chris and wish him the best in his next venture.”
The Bachelor airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen airs Sundays through Thursday nights on Bravo, and is available next day on Peacock.
