Chris Harrison has slammed the 'Bachelor' franchise as "very toxic".
Chris Harrison recalls 'toxic' Bachelor drama
The 52-year-old former host left his high-profile role on 'The Bachelor' in 2021 after he was accused of defending a contestant's past racist actions.
Chris presented the popular franchise for nearly 20 years, but left his role after defending Rachael Kirkconnell, who attended an 'Antebellum'-themed party in 2018.
Speaking about that time, he told Jason Tartick on the 'Trading Secrets' podcast: "What I went through was tumultuous. I don’t wish it on anybody.
"It was horrifying on a lot of levels and something that I pray to God my worst enemy never goes through.”
"But, with that said, I knew I had to remove myself from what became a very toxic situation.
"I had to remove myself from that toxic situation. And so I’m proud of that decision."
Despite the drama, Chris praised the show for changing his family's financial future.
He said: "I’m proud that I handled it the way I did and I still look at [the show] as a blessing because it changed my life on so many levels.
"Financially, of course. It changed my life. It changed my kids’ lives. I hold those things dear. It was a blessing. It changed my life, but at the same time I can also be grateful that I’m gone.
"That’s a relationship I don’t need to be in anymore because it wasn’t healthy."
In a statement to announce his exit, Warner Horizon and ABC Entertainment said at the time: "Chris Harrison is stepping aside as host of 'The Bachelor' franchise. We are thankful for his many contributions over the past 20 years and wish him all the best on his new journey."
Chris also responded to the news on his Instagram account.
He wrote: "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."