#Chris Harrison leaving The Bachelor, The Bachelorette for good: Report

For those of you wanting some clarity on Chris Harrison and his future with the Bachelor franchise, now we have it.

As first reported by Deadline, the show’s host has reached a settlement with studio Warner Horizon on the remainder of the contract. He will supposedly be paid somewhere in the eight-figure range and with that, go off into the sunset.

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Judging from the mostly-positive reaction to Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe’s presence on The Bachelorette last night, this exit is hardly a surprise. We had also heard reports already about a rotating panel of guest hosts for Bachelor in Paradise this summer. The franchise is clearly moving forward without him, and they may also realize that ultimately, they just don’t need him for these shows to be successful. Last night’s episode generated plenty of attention without Chris there, and there’s little reason to think that this will change moving forward. Ultimately, Harrison only tends to spend a few minutes on-screen per episode in the first place; he does still have supporters, but they don’t constitute a majority of the fandom.

Once Harrison’s exit becomes official (Deadline claims it will happen later this week), we’re sure that the franchise will then shift over to finding a permanent “face” to represent them moving forward. What they need to do is figure out someone who can be available year-round and be both a strong communicator and also empathetic towards the contestants. It’s a balancing act, but we have a feeling that there will be a LOT of candidates who are interested in the gig.

Ultimately, we’ll see if ABC and Warner Horizon can start to move down the road towards a permanent host later this year when Michelle Young’s season of The Bachelorette airs. That is one currently set to premiere this fall.

Related – Be sure to get some more news on The Bachelorette and what will be coming up next week!

What do you think about Chris Harrison exiting The Bachelor for good?

Share your thoughts right now in the attached comments. (Photo: ABC.)

This article was written by Jess Carter. Be sure to follow her on Twitter.