ABC and Warner Horizon, which produces the franchise, announced Friday that Harrison would not host the upcoming season of “The Bachelorette,” which is scheduled to start filming later this month. He apologized three times for his statement while also relinquishing his “After the Final Rose” stint. Harrison defended Kirkconnell, making what he later admitted were “racist” comments. The season showed James falling for Kirkconnell, unaware that she was photographed at an antebellum South-themed party in 2018 and that she had “liked” racially insensitive social media posts.Īn uproar erupted midway through the season when former “Bachelorette” Rachel Lindsay questioned Harrison during an interview on “Extra” about Kirkconnell’s delay in addressing the incidents. The special was hosted by author and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho, who replaced host Chris Harrison after Harrison became embroiled in a furor revolving around offensive behavior in Kirkconnell’s past.

stayed silent as a firestorm over race consumed its reality-TV flagship. Then the first Black ‘Bachelor’s’ season unraveledĪfter pledging ‘real change’ amid last year’s protests, ABC and owner Walt Disney Co.

The couple agreed to move forward with their relationship.īut the “After the Final Rose” special, which usually updates viewers on events since the season finished filming, took an awkward turn when James and Kirkconnell were forced to deal together with the firestorm over race that had cast a shadow over the whole season. But James did tell an elated Kirkconnell that he could easily see her as his wife and the mother of his children. Unlike many previous seasons, which have ended with a proposal or engagement, James did not offer the eye-popping ring from jeweler Neil Lane. The ending was more messy than rosy.Īs many fans predicted, Matt James offered his “final rose” to graphic designer Rachael Kirkconnell, sending the other finalist, elementary school teacher Michelle Young, home in tears. The curtain has finally fallen on the “landmark” 25th season of “The Bachelor” - the first to feature a Black leading man. The following contains spoilers for the season finale of “The Bachelor” and the “After the Final Rose” special.

The bachelor finale