'UnREAL’ Cast, Producer Respond To Chris Harrison Diss; Say ‘The Bachelor’ Host's Comments Means He’s Watching

In case you haven’t heard, “The Bachelor/Bachelorette” host Chris Harrison is not a fan of Lifetime’s “UnREAL.” During a recent taping for “The Bachelorette: Men Tell All,” Harrison, who has hosted the ABC dating competition shows for over a decade, slammed the drama, which takes a inside look at shows such as his, calling it “really terrible.” Now, the cast and creator of the new hit series are speaking out about Harrison’s comments.

“Honestly, I was thrilled,” “UnREAL” executive producer Marti Noxon told TVLine at a Paley Center event Thursday. Noxon says Harrison’s dislike for the show is “not surprising” and his comments were appreciated. “It didn’t hurt my feelings,” she said. “Any press is good press.”

Noxon added that Harrison choosing to speak on the series, which follows a suitor, Adam Cromwell (Freddie Stroma), his potential love interests in a fictional dating series called “Everlasting,” and the behind-the-scenes drama with the crew, is “fun.”

“… It was particularly fun,” she said. “I’m like a nerd. The captain of the football team is talking about me, even if he’s staying, ‘Hey, nerd!’”

And it’s not just the show’s production team excited about Harrison’s review of “UnREAL," Shiri Appleby, who plays lead Rachel, a producer on the series who finds herself in a love triangle with Adam and fellow crew member Jeremy (Josh Kelly), says she’s thrilled the controversial show has gained attention. “We’re just happy people are talking about the show,” she admitted.

Constance Zimmer, who plays Rachel’s boss Quinn on the series, says Harrison’s statement is his admission “that he watches it,” despite calling the series terrible. “It’s a win-win,” Appleby reportedly responded to Zimmer's comment.

Harrison spoke to Variety last month about “UnREAL” claiming the show has no viewership and is “complete fiction,” despite being penned by a former associate producer of “The Bachelor,” Sarah Gertrude Shapiro. “As much as they would love to jump on our coattails — they were beginning for us to talk about it and for people to write about it — at the end of the day, no one is watching. I mean, absolutely nobody is watching that show," Harrison said. "Why? It is terrible. It is really terrible.”

As previously reported, despite Harrison’s statement, “UnREAL” is doing fairly well in the ratings for a new TV series. The Lifetime network even recently granted the show a 10-episode second season, set to premiere in 2016.

The ball is in your court now, Harrison.