Chris Harrison, the former host of The bachelor franchise, apologized again for his comments, excusing the alleged racist past of a current competitor and said he wants to return as a host after his license.
“I am an imperfect man. I made a mistake and I recognize that,” he said in an interview with Michael Strahan on Good Morning America which aired Thursday. “I believe that this error does not reflect who I am or what I stand for. I am committed to progress not only for me, but also for the franchise. ”
But Harrison’s apology “was nothing more than a superficial response to all of this,” said Strahan after the interview. “Obviously, he is a man who clearly wants to stay on the show, but only time will tell if there is any meaning behind his words.”
This season, which has the first black man in the franchise’s nearly 20-year history, has been surrounded by controversy after photos of winner Rachael Kirkconnell appeared at an Antebellum plantation themed party. She would also have liked pictures of people posing in front of a Confederacy flag, among other accusations.
Harrison then defended Kirkconnell, who was the only white woman Bachelor Matt James chose for his four finalists and rejected criticism of her behavior. During an interview with Rachel Lindsay, the franchise’s first black protagonist, Harrison put aside the severity of Kirkconnell’s actions and suggested that plantation-themed parties were acceptable in 2018.
Facing a strong reaction from some fans and several former contestants, he later apologized for his comments and announced that he would “stay away for a period of time”.
In his interview on Thursday, the host stepped back in his defense of Kirkconnell, saying, “Antebellum parties are not good – past, present and future. Knowing what that represents is unacceptable.”
He also said that he wants to return to the franchise.
“I intend 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 be done and I am excited to be part of that change.”
The racial controversy this season overshadowed the importance of the first protagonist black man in the franchise’s overwhelmingly white history.
Lindsay, the first single who challenged Harrison about his comments on Kirkconnell, was also the target of threats and hateful comments on Instagram. She recently deactivated her account.
Harrison apologized to Lindsay for what he said during the interview, but told Strahan that he hasn’t spoken to her since she left the social media platform.