Chris Harrison, who spent nearly two decades as the face of “The Bachelor” franchise and abruptly departed in 2021, recently said fleeing Hollywood was a blessing in disguise.
In an interview with People magazine published Oct. 27, Harrison, 54, weighed in on his life post-Bachelor after he permanently stepped away from the role amid controversy at the time.
“It feels wonderful, and thanks for asking that, because I wasn’t sure it would,” he told the outlet. “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.
“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.”
Season 25 Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell came under fire after photos from 2018 resurfaced, when she attended a plantation-themed fraternity party.
Harrison received backlash when he defended Kirkconnell from what he called the “woke police” on social media.
He later apologized for his comments that he said caused harm by “speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism,” before announcing his indefinite departure from the franchise.
Harrison went on to purchase a home in Austin, Texas, and made the move from Los Angeles, alongside his wife, former Entertainment Tonight host and producer Lauren Zima, 37.
“I mean, what I love most about the new chapter is the fact that Austin is the new Hollywood, which means the opportunities are aplenty here,” he told People.
“There is so much tech, music, food, entertainment, theater. It’s all happening here … 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.”
At first, Harrison said he felt a whirlwind of emotions following his exit as he was involved in a number of spinoffs for the franchise, including “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise.”
As determined as he was to get back to work as quickly as possible, the sudden change put life into perspective that there is a whole other world outside of Hollywood, which was a “wonderful break and relief,” he said.
“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,” he continued.
“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.”
Looking forward, Harrison is ready to dive back into creative projects with Zima and credits having an “amazing woman” by his side that reignited the fire within to return to work.
Currently, former season five Bachelor and NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer hosts the ABC hit show, which just wrapped up its 29th season earlier this year.
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