Controversy and “The Bachelor” go hand in hand. Usually, the controversy surrounding the show is fairly light-hearted, whether it be the outrageous contestants, dramatic love stories or even more dramatic breakups. However, as of late, a more serious kind of controversy is brewing in Bachelor Nation.

“The Bachelor” host Chris Harrison is at the center of the drama, as he has been facing backlash for his comments in defense of the racist actions of a contestant on this season of “The Bachelor.” After receiving heavy criticism from Bachelor Nation and the internet, Harrison announced last week that he is “stepping aside” from the franchise for “a period of time.”

Earlier this month, photos surfaced of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell wearing a plantation-style dress at an Antebellum-themed party her sorority held in 2018. One of Kirkconnell’s high school classmates also posted a TikTok claiming that Kirkconnell had “bullied her in high school for liking Black guys.”

However, the controversy was further exacerbated when Harrison defended Kirkconnell in an interview on Feb. 9 with Rachel Lindsay, the first Black Bachelorette. When Lindsay asked Harrison how he felt about the allegations surrounding Kirkconnell’s past actions, he responded: “We all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion. I have seen some stuff online — this judge, jury, executioner thing where people are just tearing this girl’s life apart.”

Harrison continued by questioning whether or not the antebellum-themed party was, “not a good look in 2018? Or is it not a good look in 2021?” He argued that in 2018, there wasn’t a lens available to understand the weight of attending a party that romanticized the Antebellum period. But, in light of last summer’s Black Lives Matter movement, that lens has become more widely available, and the public has become more informed about the history of racism, and its effects, in the U.S. Many people feel that lack of this “lens” is not a valid excuse for her behavior.

He ultimately took the stance of allowing Kirkconnell to speak for herself on the situation. He repeated throughout the interview with Lindsay that he was not defending her actions, but instead, he was asking “the woke police” to be more understanding and compassionate when labeling her a “racist” and to take time to hear her side of the story before making any judgments since, at the time of the interview, Kirkconnell had not yet released her apology.

Harrison’s remarks were met with strong condemnation from many former “Bachelor” contestants, Bachelor Nation and the internet as a whole. The day following the interview, he released an apology via Instagram, saying: “I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology… What I now realize I have done is cause harm by wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism, and for that I am so deeply sorry.” He also apologized to Lindsay for “not listening to her better on a topic she has firsthand understanding of.” 

Kirkconnell then released her apology the day after Harrison’s, acknowledging, “I was wrong. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist. … I am ashamed about my lack of education, but it’s no one’s responsibility to educate me.” While Bachelor Nation and the internet were divided on whether or not to accept both Harrison and Kirkconnell’s apologies, Harrison followed up his original apology with another post a few days later in which he announced that he would be temporarily stepping away from the show. He wrote, “I am dedicated to getting educated on a more profound and productive level than ever before.”

Although it is unclear whether or not Harrison will ever return to “The Bachelor,” ABC has confirmed that he will not appear in this season’s live “After the Final Rose” episode. Instead, Emmanuel Acho, host on FS1 and author of “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man,” will fill his shoes.

While this season’s controversy has undoubtedly been the most publicized scandal regarding race on “The Bachelor,” the franchise has not had the best record with diversity. Especially in the early years of the franchise, the shows’ casts were almost entirely white. While some progress was made with increasing contestant diversity, it took 15 years for the franchise to announce a Black Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay, in 2017.

In response to the lack of diversity on “The Bachelor,” the franchise faced a class-action lawsuit in 2012 from two Black men who sued the show for racial discrimination. They contended that the show deliberately excluded potential contestants of color, yet they lost the case, as a judge ruled that the First Amendment granted the franchise the right to cast whomever they wanted.

Both fans and contestants of Bachelor Nation hoped that this season’s casting of Matt James, the first Black Bachelor, would be a positive shift for the show, yet many have argued that it is too little too late. While the franchise’s history of letting contestants with controversial backgrounds slip through the cracks is problematic in itself, Harrison’s actions are on an entirely different level. Given that he is the face of the franchise, Bachelor Nation has argued that he should be held to a higher standard and suggested that he may not be able to recover from the fallout of his recent actions.

Given the show’s problematic past, it was only a matter of time until  a Bachelor controversy reached a head. Even though many “canceled” celebrities have not been able to revive their reputation, “The Bachelor” is in an interesting position, considering the narrative of the show. A reality show that people “love to hate,” “The Bachelor” has remained successful year after year, despite complaints from fans about not only its lack of diversity, but also its depiction of a false reality and stereotypical ideas about love.

Brandy Monk-Payton, a media and Black cultural studies professor at Fordham University, spoke about the prevailing attraction of fans to “The Bachelor” in an interview with NPR. She said that despite her ambivalent relationship with “The Bachelor” franchise, “there is still something, however contrived, about the kind of fantasy of being romanced in a spectacular way that allures and also endures.”

After years of touting each season as “the most dramatic” one yet, this year’s controversy transcends petty fights. While Chris Harrison may be on the brink of elimination, it doesn’t seem that “The Bachelor” has given out its final rose.