Chris Harrison vows to return as ‘The Bachelor’ host amid racism controversy

In his first TV interview since “stepping aside” indefinitely as host of “The Bachelor,” Chris Harrison admitted he “made a mistake” by defending a contestant at the center of a racism controversy. During their viral conversation, Harrison, who is white, asked Lindsay if the event was “not a good look” in 2018 or in 2021, “because there’s a big difference.” To which Lindsay replied, “It’s not a good look ever because she’s celebrating the Old South.. What would I represent at that party?” When asked later by “GMA” co-anchor Michael Strahan if he still thought there was a “big difference,” Harrison walked back his remarks, stating, “There is not,” and that “antebellum parties are not OK — past, present, future.” “I am an imperfect man. And that is to say that I stand against all forms of racism, and I am deeply sorry to Rachel Lindsay and to the Black community.” EXCLUSIVE: “It was a mistake.” #TheBachelor host Chris Harrison apologizes for defending frontrunner Rachael Kirkconnell’s past racist social media posts, telling @michaelstrahan he is an “imperfect man” who is “committed to progress.” https://t.co/OfPBBzGd9s pic.twitter.com/0EgbKV99DV — Good Morning America March 4, 2021 Earlier this month, the executive producers of “The Bachelor” released a statement condemning racist attacks toward Lindsay in the wake of her chat with Harrison. Lindsay, who recently left Instagram amid an onslaught of online abuse, has said she was not satisfied with Harrison’s initial apology and is strongly considering cutting ties with the “Bachelor” franchise because of recent events. Television ‘The Bachelor’s’ first season with a Black lead is swept into a firestorm over race The controversy that erupted around the series this week drew in contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, host Chris Harrison and former “Bachelorette” Rachel Lindsay.