#How Chris Harrison REALLY Feels About Being Ousted From The Bachelor…

It’s the end of an era for Bachelor Nation, and we’re all coming to terms with it… including Chris Harrison.

As we’ve been reporting, the longtime host was benched after defending contestant Rachael Kirkconnell over her plantation pic controversy. On Tuesday, the show announced that Harrison was out for good — and he supposedly got a HUGE payout to walk away and “keep his mouth shut.”

Related: Rachel Lindsay Reacts To Chris Harrison’s Bachelor Franchise Exit!

The 49-year-old addressed his exit on Instagram, writing:

“I’ve had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise and now I’m excited to start a new chapter. I’m so grateful to Bachelor Nation for all of the memories we’ve made together. While my two-decade journey is wrapping up, the friendships I’ve made will last a lifetime.”

But while Chris’s public statement was pleasant enough, it’s a different story behind the scenes. An insider told Us Weekly:

“The whole situation is frustrating for him. Until things are settled legally and contractually, he can’t even plan his next steps.”

Another source for E! News shared:

“Chris is saddened to leave The Bachelor franchise. It was his whole life and identity for many years and he was hopeful he would continue his contract.”

They claimed that the TV personality “has been in tough negotiations for weeks,” and was “optimistic” about coming back. The insider claimed:

“He knows he made a mistake but was hopeful forgiveness would be granted.”

However, as the negotiations dragged on, he “had an idea that his end was coming.” They revealed:

“[Chris] had a feeling months ago and really came to terms with it.”

Still, the Us insider reported Harrison “was surprised” by the decision, especially when news broke that Bachelor in Paradise would be hosted by celebrity guests like David Spade — which he learned about online like the rest of us. The source admitted:

“Chris had been left in the dark over a lot of behind-the-scenes franchise decisions.”

We imagine that was particularly exasperating for someone who was not only host, but a producer of the franchise; though as the E! insider noted:

“Ultimately, the studio decided this was what’s best.”

Now, Chris is apparently focusing on the future:

“He is grateful for the conclusion and payout… He wants to focus on other business ventures.”

Related: Matt James Reveals Rachael Kirkconnell Got Him Back With An ‘Ultimatum’!

While the E! source claimed the ABC alum “has no plans to return to hosting at the moment,” the Us insider divulged:

“He’s been getting all kinds of offers on projects, so he’s hoping to lock something in soon. He has a team who has been supporting him this entire time and is working on his next move. He’s hosted other shows in the past so safe to say this isn’t the end of Chris Harrison hosting!”

And a second Us source insisted he’s already past all the hard feelings, adding:

“He’s elated and relieved to be able to explore future opportunities.”

Well, we hope that he truly learned something from this experience. At least he has that eight-figure check to soften the blow.

[Image via C.Smith/WENN]