The old guy‘s executive producers condemn the actions of fans who have harassed former harassers The Bachelorette star Rachel Lindsay from Instagram after her interview with Chris Harrison.
“Rachel has received an unimaginable amount of hatred and is being subjected to serious online bullying, which is often rooted in racism,” the executive producers wrote in a statement posted on Bachelor Nation’s official Twitter account. “This is completely unacceptable.”
The statement follows Lindsay, who was the first black star ever from ABC The Bachelorette, deleted her Instagram account after receiving numerous messages. Lindsay was busy with the Bachelor‘s current race account after speaking to Chris Harrison for Extra, who defended contestant Rachael Kirkconnell. The graphic designer, who is the last contestant for the current season, came under fire after photos of her attended a fraternity party in 2018 with a plantation.
Kirkconnell has since apologized for the photos and Harrison has resigned following the Extra maintenance. ABC announced on Saturday that Emmanuel will replace Acho Harrison for the series’ special presentation The Final Rose.
Amid the controversy surrounding the show, bachelor Matt James Harrison complained about his “failure to receive and understand” the emotional work Lindsay did when explaining the ‘racist history of the Antebellum South’.
The statement from executive producers came earlier The Bachelor’s ‘Women Tell All’ episode on Monday night, in which Harrison will still be seen in the host seat as it was filmed before he retired. See their full statement below.
– Bachelor Nation (@bachnation) March 1, 2021