The Bachelor franchise is caught up in controversy again, and this time it appears more people than ever are listening.
In case you missed it, host
gave a troublesome interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay earlier this month, in which
current
Bachelor
contestant
regarding accusations of racism. Instead of condemning the “Old South” party Rachael attended in college, Chris told Rachel he wasn’t the “woke police” and suggested that since it happened in 2018 it wasn’t as bad.
As you’d expect, Chris Harrison immediately faced tons of backlash from members of
franchise, fans, and celebrities alike. Taking to Instagram on February 13, the famed host announced he would be stepping down from the franchise. Despite his apology, the damage has already been done. Many people are calling for him to be fired or quit completely, and a question on everyone’s minds right now is whether or not he’ll be replaced.
Is Chris Harrison being replaced on The Bachelor?
Chris claims that he’s “dedicated to getting educated on a more profound and productive level than before,” and I think I speak for all fans when I say I hope he upholds his promise. But at the end of the day, the show must go on. Who should replace Chris and take on this role as The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise host? I’ve got a few ideas in mind.
Who should replace Chris Harrison?
Now that Chris Harrison has departed the series–either temporarily or permanently–there’s no reason for the ABC franchise to not cast a BIPOC celebrity as the new host. For those of you who don’t know, BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. You can learn about The BIPOC Project here.
So without further ado, here are seven BIPOC celebs who would do a great job taking on the hosting gig.
7. Selena Gomez
As a fan of The Bachelor franchise and even a friend to Madison Prewett from Peter Weber’s season, Selena Gomez surely already knows the ropes of the series. Arguably one of the most famous celebrities out there today, this 28-year-old singer-actress would attract fans of all ages. Currently, Selena hosts an HBO Max show titled Selena + Chef, where she learns how to cook during quarantine.
She’s already a seasoned star who knows how to work the camera, so she would certainly do a great job hosting The Bachelor.
6. Taylor Nolan
Fans will know Taylor Nolan from Nick Viall’s season of The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise season 4. Not only is she a psychotherapist and sexologist, but she’s also been an advocate for body and sex-positivity on Instagram. She uses her platform to lift people up, fight against white supremacy and racism in the world, and is always completely real with her followers.
Since Chris Harrison’s interview came out, Taylor has used her Instagram page to condemn his comments and encourage her followers to support the page @TheBlckchellorettes, an account that aims to educate fans of The Bachelor on racism and toxic behavior on the show. Taylor Nolan would be an awesome person to replace Chris, as she’s well-spoken, incredibly smart, and passionate.
5. Tyra Banks
I don’t even need to tell you how much of a legend Tyra Banks is. After kicking off her impressive career in modeling at the age of 15, this 47-year-old star hosted America’s Next Top Model and The Tyra Banks Show, and has since presented on America’s Got Talent and Dancing With the Stars. She’s also acted in numerous shows and movies. Needless to say, Tyra could host just about anything, and it would be very interesting to see her take on a dating show.
While booking Tyra might be a bit pricey for ABC, they already did so for Dancing With the Stars, so it’s safe to assume she’s on good terms with the network. Why not take on one more show?
4. Vanessa Lachey
Fans likely know Vanessa Lachey (nee Minnillo) for her hosting gigs on networks like MTV. Throughout her career, she’s presented on iconic shows such as Total Request Live and The Real World, along with the beauty pageants Miss USA and Miss Universe. More recently, she co-hosted Netflix’s dating show Love is Blind alongside her husband Nick Lachey.
There’s no doubt that Vanessa is a great host and a very familiar face. If ABC was able to cast her as The Bachelor‘s new host, they’d be in great hands. With no reality shows lined up in 2021 according to her IMDb page, this pro would be a no-brainer.
3. Tayshia Adams
I can never say enough great things about Tayshia Adams! Since her Bachelor debut back on Colton Underwood’s season, I’m always drawn to her awesome personality, bright smile, and how understanding of a person she is. After Tayshia absolutely killed it as the Bachelorette for season 16, there’s no doubt in my mind that America would love for her to become the next host of the franchise.
And apart from being just overall awesome, Tayshia actually has a desire to become a television host. Earlier this month, the 30-year-old Orange County native stepped in to co-host for Entertainment Tonight, telling her followers on Instagram that it was her “dream job.” Now that’s she’s engaged and moving on from being a contestant on The Bachelor series, why shouldn’t she take on the role of host?
2. Erin Lim
When it comes to current television presenters, Erin Lim is hands down one of the best. Primarily working for E!, the 29-year-old celeb has hosted E! News, Live from E!, Daily Pop, E! Live from the Red Carpet, and more. Formerly an E! News Asia host, Erin moved to Los Angeles and is now a household name for those who watch the network. She’s charismatic, sweet, and seems like she really does her research when it comes to interviewing and presenting.
Erin Lim would be an awesome addition to the ABC family, if she would be able to fit it into her busy schedule!
1. Rachel Lindsay
Last but not least, of course, is Rachel Lindsay. Fans of the franchise will know her from Nick Viall’s season of The Bachelor and as the Bachelorette for season 13. Besides having the first-hand experience with the show, this 35-year-old star is also very familiar with hosting. In the years since being the series’ lead, she’s become the co-host of the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast with Becca Kufrin, as well as the co-host of the podcast Higher Learning with reporter Van Lathan. She also co-hosted the MTV series Ghosted: Love Gone Missing.
More recently, Rachel has been presenting for Extra TV, which is where the Chris Harrison interview all went down. Clearly, she’s got all the relevant experience and would be highly qualified to become the next Bachelor host. And that’s not all.
Rachel has been one of the loudest advocates from Bachelor Nation who speaks out against racism, white supremacy, and issues with the ABC franchise. As an attorney, she’s incredibly smart, as well as eloquent and charismatic.
But while many fans are rallying for Rachel to replace Chris Harrison, it looks like she’s done with the franchise for good. As reported by Variety, she said she doesn’t want to renew her contract with ABC following Chris’ comments. While speaking on her Higher Learning podcast, Rachel said:
"How much more can I take of things like this? I said I was gonna leave if they didn’t have leads of color. Okay, they did that, and they made some other changes. They hired a diversity consultant — who didn’t attend the class? Did Chris Harrison not sit through that? I’m confused as to how you could have whole consultants working for you, yet what happened just happened."
Rachel also confirmed, “I can’t take it anymore. I’m contractually bound in some ways. But when it’s up, I am too. I can’t do it anymore.”
Would Rachel Lindsay change her mind if she was offered the job of The Bachelor host? We’re not entirely sure, but we know fans would love to see it.