Former Host Chris Harrison Spreads ‘Bachelor In Paradise’ Gossip: “They’re Postponing It For A Year Or Canceling It”

Chris Harrison is fueling rumors surrounding the future of Bachelor in Paradise. According to the former host, the spinoff series may or may not have been postponed ahead of its tenth season.

Harrison sparked the speculation on a recent episode of The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever, which aired on Friday (Feb. 2).

“I was a little bummed to hear that Paradise has allegedly been postponed. I think [that] is the official way they’re saying it,” he said, per Us Weekly. “They’re postponing it for a year or canceling it.”

Harrison added, “Obviously, either way, it’s never good in TV – we all know this business well enough that when they don’t postpone shows that are doing great. But I was bummed to hear that.”

Decider has reached out to reps for Bachelor in Paradise for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.

In the meantime, fans should probably take Harrison’s gossip with a grain of salt. Us Weekly reports that production for the show typically doesn’t start until June and the network didn’t announce Season 9 until May 2023 so ABC still has plenty of time to make an official decision about Season 10.

Harrison, who hosted The Bachelor for nearly two decades, officially exited the series in 2021 after defending Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who came under fire for past racist behavior when photos of her attending a “plantation-themed” sorority party resurfaced online.

Following the backlash, Harrison apologized for defending Kirkconnell.

“My intentions were simply to ask for grace in offering her an opportunity to speak on her own behalf,” he said in a statement. “What I now realize I have done is cause harm by wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism, and for that I am so deeply sorry.”

Looking back on the controversy, Harrison revealed that he was “grateful” he left the Bachelor franchise during a December 2023 episode of his podcast.

“What I went through was tumultuous. I don’t wish it on anybody,” he said. “It was horrifying on a lot of levels — and something that I pray to God my worst enemy never goes through. But, with that said, I knew I had to remove myself from what became a very toxic situation.”