Chris Harrison was the face of Bachelor Nation for nearly two decades. He hosted The Bachelor since its 2002 premiere and went on to host the spinoffs. However, it ended for him in 2021 when he left ABC amid a racism scandal. He’s ready for his comeback with a new dating show. However, Bachelor fans blasted the new show as a rip-off. Keep reading for all the details.
Chris Harrison Makes Surprising Comeback
Chris Harrison was beloved as the host of The Bachelor. In fact, some fans refuse to accept Jesse Palmer and clamor for Chris to return. But that’s not happening. His reputation was damaged in 2021 when he defended contestant Rachael Kirkconnell after images surfaced of her attending an antebellum plantation-themed formal in college. The country was going through a racial reckoning at the time and the photos were deemed racist.
But it wasn’t just his defense of Rachael Kirkconnell that did him in. Chris Harrison faced backlash for the way he spoke to Rachel Lindsay during the interview. He took a step back from the franchise but left for good a few months later. His first attempt at a comeback was joining Dr. Phil’s now-defunct Merit Street Media.
He’ll make his second attempt in November when Chris Harrison’s The Vow premieres on FOX Nation. The dating show is shockingly similar to ABC’s dating show. In fact, Bachelor alum Sean Lowe and his wife, Catherine, are slated to make an appearance on The Vow.
Former Bachelor Nation Host Accused Of Ripping Off The Bachelor
Chris Harrison’s new dating show wants to set itself apart from The Bachelor by focusing on faith, morals, and marriage. ABC’s dating show features all of those things to various degrees, but rarely results in a lasting relationship. The promo for Chris Harrison’s new show threw a little shade at The Bachelor‘s track record. “Roses fade. True love lasts forever,” the host says in the promo video.
While fans blasted The Vow as a rip-off of The Bachelor, many planned to watch anyway. It’s the perfect time for a new dating show. The Bachelor Nation franchise is paused amid controversy surrounding canceled Bachelorette Taylor Frankie Paul. ABC has renewed The Bachelor and Bachelor In Paradise but they won’t air until 2027.
Bachelor Nation fans took to Reddit with their reactions to Chris Harrison’s long-awaited comeback. Many pointed out that The Vow seemed like a rip-off of The Bachelor.
- “Clearly he never got over being canned”
- “This is so petty haha I love it”
- “The only positive thing I’ll say is the timing is kinda perfect since the bachelor is currently dead but I definitely won’t be watching it”
- “Not the exact same Roses. Absolutely zero creativity in any of it.”
- “the AI slop here is so obvious”
- “This is actually so pathetic”
- “Surprised Disney isn’t throwing an IP lawsuit at Fox Nation for this”
- “might as well just go back and watch old seasons of the bachelor because it’s all going to be the same old material anyway.”
Let us know in the comments if you plan to give The Vow a chance. It premieres on FOX Nation on Wednesday, November 11.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger