Emmanuel Acho to replace Chris Harrison on After The Final Rose special

Does the name Emmanuel Acho ring any bells? Well, if it doesn’t, it will now because he is officially taking over hosting duties for Chris Harrison during the “After The Final Rose” special. This switch-a-roo comes on the cusp of Harrison facing backlash after his EXTRA interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay.

Harrison and Lindsay were discussing the recent controversy surrounding Rachael Kirkconnell, one of the remaining three contestants on The Bachelor season 25. During the interview, Harrison’s comments were perceived as unacceptable and uninformed, and in the aftermath, he was called out by many Bachelor Nation alums as well as fans. He ultimately decided to “step aside” temporarily, as a result.

And with Harrison out, Emmanuel Acho is stepping in. Whether or not this will be a permanent change has not yet been revealed.

Acho took to Instagram to say he has officially “accepted the rose” and will be hosting the highly anticipated special which is sure to have Bachelor Nation glued to their television screens.

Who is Emmanuel Acho?

Unless you’re a fan of the NFL and more specifically the Philadelphia Eagles or have happened to read Acho’s book, there’s a chance you don’t know much about him. Luckily for us, Acho provided a brief bio to introduce himself to Bachelor Nation ahead of the special. Clever man, he knows we are going to be deep diving through the internet to learn all we can about him so he’s giving us a head start.

Acho is the author of 2020 New York Times bestseller, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, which will be exactly what he’s doing while hosting the special. With everything that has unfolded over the last few weeks, Acho’s conversation with Matt James and the contestants is going to be extremely uncomfortable, so he seems to be the perfect man for the job.

Matt James finally broke his silence on the matter last week with a lengthy statement on Instagram lending his support to Rachel Lindsay for pushing through the interview as respectfully as she could and also expressing his disappointment over Rachael’s pictures and Harrison’s comments. Many Bachelor Nation alums have done the same voicing their concerns over this longstanding systemic issue and supporting Lindsay* for speaking up respectfully.

*Over the last couple of days, Lindsay has deactivated her Instagram due to hateful comments and messages that were targeted towards her. Many alums (including her podcast co-hosts Becca Kufrin and Van Lathan) have come forward once again voicing their support for Lindsay, stating they are with her through this ordeal and stand by her every step of the way.

Rachael also took to social media over the last week to convey apologies and regret over her past actions, stating she is “learning and will continue to learn how to be antiracist”.

Amidst the reaction to her apology along with the backlash Lindsay is facing for speaking up, Rachael released another video addressing those who are coming to her defense, asking them to stop it as she knows she was in the wrong and is hoping to learn from it. She also discusses antiracism resources and platforms she hopes to learn from and is asking others to do the same.

Many would agree this is a major turning pointing for The Bachelor franchise which has been criticized time and time again for its lack of diversity and inclusivity. But rather than merely discussing it and moving on, this time around it looks big changes are on the horizon for the franchise.

Whether that will be a new host in place of Chris Harrison, more BIPOC contestants and leads, or more open dialogue, many are hoping that this will bring the change this franchise so desperately needs.

It’s a long road ahead, but hopefully, the franchise will finally make strides not only in understanding the issue at hand but actively doing something about it. 

Are you excited to see Emmanuel Acho host the After The Final Rose special? Share your comments below!