Grab your red wine, kick off your heels, and sit yourself down on an awkwardly sized couch, because you're going to need to brace for this. Rumor has it, Chris Harrison might be leaving The Bachelor, as reported by the NY Post. TMZ was quick to shut down the rumor with some reporting of their own, saying on Dec. 29 that "production sources" denied that Harrison was leaving the show.
The host and Fantasy Suite Coordinator™ has been guiding beautiful people's journey to find love for almost 20 years — he's basically synonymous with the franchise. I'm honestly surprised Harrison is even allowed to leave the Bachelor mansion to move to Texas (a decision which sparked this entire rumor), let alone the show itself. Of course, if anybody can live in Texas and host The Bachelor in L.A., where the show was traditionally filmed pre-coronavirus, at the same time, it's Harrison.
And, though Harrison has yet to comment on the rumors, former Bachelor Nick Viall was quick to shut them down on Twitter. "Not even 2020 can cancel @chrisbharrison," he tweeted on Dec. 29. "Death, Taxes, and Chris letting us know there is only one rose left are certainties we can always count on." But, on the off chance Harrison really is getting ready to turn in his final rose, here are some worthy successors who just might be able to step in as the next Bachelor host.
Wells Adams
Wells is, hands down, the most involved Bach alum. As Bachelor in Paradise bartender, he knows how to corral a group of drunk singles, so hosting the infamous Bachelor cocktail parties would be easy for him. Plus, he's got a great sense of humor, which could give the show a boost of goofy energy to help bring it into the next 20 years.
JoJo Fletcher
Like Wells, former Bachelorette JoJo also has some experience being on the hosting side. She stepped in for Harrison during Tayshia Adams' Bachelorette season when the host left to drop his son off at college, which meant he had to quarantine upon his return. JoJo was an admirable host, and she definitely had fun making the guys jump through hoops in their quest to prove their adoration for Tayshia. Plus, JoJo is still engaged to her final rose recipient, Jordan Rodgers, and having a Bachelor success story hosting the show every week could help remind the audience that, sometimes, this crazy process really does work.
Rachel Lindsay
Another Bachelorette success story, Rachel Lindsay is more than qualified to fill Harrison's shoes. As a correspondent on Extra, she's comfortable in front of the camera, but, more than that, she's not afraid to tell people things they might not want to hear. Since her season, Rachel has been critical of the Bachelor franchise, specifically calling out the show's lack of diversity and lack of resources for contestants receiving threats or derogatory comments online. Having her as host would signal a huge change in the culture of the show and the fandom. Not only that, but she's also not one to let people get away with petty drama in the house, and while I understand that these shows need drama, sometimes I just want someone to storm into the Bachelor mansion and tell contestants to cut it out. And there's no one I trust to do that more than Rachel.
There are plenty of other Bach alums that would, no doubt, be eager to snag the job of host. Nick Viall, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Ben Higgins, Ashley Iaconetti, Jared Haibon, and Becca Kufrin are all still very involved in the franchise, hosting various Bachelor-related podcasts and making occasional appearances on the show. But when I think about who really has what it takes to guide us through all the future "most dramatic" seasons, it is Rachel who gets my final rose.
Image: ABC/Craig Sjodin