Here's How Much Chris Harrison Was Paid In 'Bachelor' Exit: Report
KEY POINTS
- Chris Harrison received roughly $10 million in his exit from the "Bachelor" franchise, a report says
- The amount was reportedly a combination of a $9 million exit settlement and remaining contractual fees
- Harrison reportedly wanted a $25 million payout from ABC
Chris Harrison reportedly received much less than the eight-figure payout he allegedly demanded in his exit from the "Bachelor" franchise.
Harrison has wrapped up his 19-year tenure as host of "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette" and other spinoffs in the ABC franchise. He received roughly $10 million — a combination of a $9 million exit settlement plus remaining contractual fees — upon leaving the job he held since 2002, Variety reported, citing two unnamed sources "familiar with the negotiations."
The 49-year-old allegedly demanded a $25 million payout in his exit from the franchise and threatened to reveal "all the behind-the-scenes details" if he did not receive it, Page Six previously reported, citing an unnamed ABC source.
However, part of the agreement Harrison signed with the network included a public statement about "amicable parting-of-ways," according to Variety.
ABC, Warner Bros. and Harrison’s team refused to comment on Harrison's departure from the franchise and reported financial payout.
Harrison came under fire after an "Extra" interview with the first Black "Bachelorette" Rachel Lindsay in February. He was asked about past social media posts from "Bachelor" Season 25 winner Rachael Kirkconnell which included photos of her attending an antebellum plantation-themed fraternity formal in 2018.
The former host defended Kirkconnell against what he called the "woke police" on social media, saying, "We all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion."
"Who is Rachel Lindsay and who is Chris Harrison and who is whatever woke police person out there, who are you [to tell her to speak out]? I’ve heard this a lot of, ‘I think she should,’ ‘I think he should.’ Who the hell are you? Who are you that you demand that?" he added.
According to the Variety report, Harrison was never asked to participate in the "Extra" interview in the first place. It was his choice to do the interview, and Lindsay did not push Harrison to elaborate and had not expected that he would dive into the topic, unnamed insiders told the outlet.
Following the interview, the 25 contestants of "The Bachelor" Season 25 released a statement denouncing Harrison's remarks.
"We are deeply disappointed and want to make it clear that we denounce any defense of racism," they said. "Any defense of racist behavior denies the lived and continued experiences of BIPOC individuals. These experiences are not to be exploited or tokenized."
Amid the intense backlash, Harrison issued a public apology. He "stepped aside" from hosting the show with the intention of returning, saying he would only be away for an undisclosed period of time.
However, the backlash against Harrison never stopped, and even the contestants no longer wanted to be part of the show with him as the host.
"I definitely think that was the right step for Chris to take a step back for now," Ivan Hall, a contestant from Tayshia Adams' "Bachelorette" season, told E! News in February. "And even going forward, I honestly don't know how this will all shake out, but for myself for example, if they have future shows and if they were to ask me to be on like 'Bachelor in Paradise' or something like that—and I'm sure a lot of other contestants feel this way as well—I wouldn't feel comfortable if Chris is there, to be quite frank."
Eventually, Harrison decided to leave the reality show this month.
"I’ve had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise and now I’m excited to start a new chapter," Harrison wrote on Instagram. "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."
!["The Bachelor" host Chris Harrison](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/2972292/bachelor-host-chris-harrison.jpg?w=630&f=58e9b518b1846edc5ccf0fde60aaeb6b)
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