Chris Harrison, the longtime host of The old guy franchise, again apologized for his comments that excused the alleged racist past of a current contestant and said he wanted to return as host after his leave.
“I’m an imperfect man. I made a mistake and I own it,” he said in an interview with Michael Strahan Good morning America which aired Thursday. “I believe the mistake does not reflect who I am or what I stand for. I am committed to progress, not only for myself but also for the franchise.”
But Harrison’s apology was “nothing more than a superficial response to this,” Strahan said after the interview. “It’s clear he’s a man who clearly wants to stay in the program, but will only learn over time if there is any meaning behind his words.”
This season, which has the first black male lead in the franchise’s nearly twenty-year history, has been embroiled in controversy after photos appeared of forerunner Rachael Kirkconnell attending a party theme in Antebellum. She also allegedly liked photos of people posing in front of a Confederate flag, including accusations.
Harrison defends Kirkconnell, who was the only white woman Bachelor Matt James opted for his last four and rejected criticism of her behavior. In an interview with Rachel Lindsay, the first black female lead in the franchise, Harrison set aside the seriousness of Kirkconnell’s actions and suggested that parties with plantation themes were acceptable in 2018.
Against severe setbacks from some fans and several former contestants, he later apologized for his comments and announced that he would ‘step aside for a while’.
In his interview Thursday, host Kirkconnell defended, saying, “Antebellum parties are not OK – past, present, future. Knowing what they represent is unacceptable.”
He also said he wants to return to the franchise.
“I plan to be back and I want to be back,” he said. “This interview is not the finish line, there is a lot more work to do and I am excited to be a part of the change.”
The racial confrontation this season overshadowed the importance of the first black male lead in the overwhelming white history of the franchise.
Lindsay, the former Bachelorette who challenged Harrison over his comments on Kirkconnell was also targeted with threats and hateful comments on Instagram. She recently deactivated her account.
Harrison apologized to Lindsay for what he said during their interview, but told Strahan that he had not spoken to her since she left the social media platform.