Chris Harrison , the host of The Bachelor , has said he is sorry for comments he made which he noted “perpetuates racism.” He apologized in a lengthy Instagram post after speaking out regarding social media allegations and resurfaced photos surrounding current contestant Rachael Kirkconnell. She is a frontrunner on Matt James ‘ season.
Chris made his remarks in a social media post seen here where he apologized to fans.
“To my Bachelor Nation family — I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology,” he began.
Chris wrote that he has an incredible platform to speak about love, and yesterday took a stance on topics on which he said “I should have been better informed.” He added that he did not speak for Kirkconnell. His intentions were simply to ask for grace in offering her an opportunity to speak on her behalf.
He continued by explaining that he now realizes what he did caused harm by speaking in a manner that “perpetuates racism” and for that, he was “so deeply sorry.”
He also apologized to Rachel Lindsay for not listening to her better on a topic she had a “first-hand understanding of.” He humbly thanked the members of Bachelor Nation who reached out and held him accountable.
Chris concluded his statement by promising to do better.
In January, a Reddit user shared a photo of Kirkconnell dressed in costume as a Native American. People Magazine reported on other images of the Bachelor frontrunner. She reportedly attended a Kappa Alpha Order “Old South” ball, where she and other women wore antebellum-style dresses.
On February 10, Chris and Rachel Lindsay discussed the topic on an episode of the celebrity news series Extra .
Rachel has been vocal in holding the franchise accountable when it comes to issues regarding race. After she urged the series to diversify, Matt was named The Bachelor ‘s first Black male lead.
During their discussion, Chris and Rachel agreed it would be best if Kirkconnell spoke out about this topic herself.
He agreed with Rachel that while the photos did not shine the best light on the contestant, he stood by his comments that over time, perspectives can change on certain things.
Fans shared their own opinions regarding his post in its comments section.
“So disappointing. There is never a justification for racist behavior, period. I don’t care if it was in 1905, 2005, or 2021. And stop making the people who do this victims!” wrote one fan.
“The amount of bullying in the comments! Social media is ruining humanity. Feel sorry for the young kids growing up in this mess. Everyone do better!” pleaded a second follower.