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Chris Harrison didn’t hold back while making a rare comment about his controversial exit from the Bachelor franchise four years after he was let go from his longtime hosting gig. When asked how he feels about having distance from the franchise, Harrison, 54, told People, “It feels wonderful.” He went on to thank the interviewer for “asking that,” admitting he “wasn’t sure it would” feel good down the line. “You know, when you do something every single day for two decades, and it’s so popular around the world, there is a pressure to that, and there’s a spotlight and a microscope that you don’t even realize you’re under until you kinda get off that merry-go-round,” Harrison continued. “And it was this kind of angst when I first got off, because I mean, ‘Oh, well, I gotta get back on. I gotta go back to work.'” Harrison made his hosting debut on The Bachelor during season 1 in 2002. He quickly became a steady fixture across the franchise, going on to host shows including including The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise. Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 However, Harrison officially exited the franchise after 19 years in 2021 after he came under fire for defending contestant Rachael Kirkconnell amid a racism scandal. Since leaving the show, Harrison relocated from Los Angeles, California, to Austin, Texas, and married his wife, Lauren Zima, in 2023. While reflecting on his exit from the show, he said he “kind of took a deep breath” and “dropped [his] shoulders” as he processed the change. “I think, you know, obviously falling in love definitely helped, moving to Austin definitely helped kind of relieve that and realize, ‘Wow, there’s a whole other world out here to dive into,'” the TV personality said. “And so it has been a wonderful break and relief.” Also during the interview, Harrison shared a rare glimpse into what his life looks like today in Austin. “What I love most about the new chapter is the fact that Austin is the new Hollywood which means the opportunities are a plenty here,” he said. “There is so much tech, music, food, entertainment, theater. It’s all happening here. And it reminds me of what Hollywood was built on, which is anything and everything is possible if everybody will just come in with an honest, open heart and mind and just wanna do some fun work together,” he gushed about the city. Harrison continued, “We’ve met so many incredible people from all around the world, from all different industries that just want to collaborate and do great things. And it’s so exciting to be a part of. The energy is truly palpable in this city right now, and it’s just fun to jump in and go with the flow.”
