‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Host Chris Harrison Releases Statement on Misconduct Investigation
The Bachelor in Paradise fallout continues. Bachelor franchise host Chris Harrison has released a statement following a halt in production of ABC’s summertime The Bachelor/ The Bachelorette spinoff due to an investigation into “misconduct.”
In the statement, Harrison urges the public to wait until the investigation is complete before jumping to conclusions, and states “there’s a lot of misinformation out there too.”
Read Harrison’s full statement below:
“By now, no doubt, you have heard that we have suspended production on this season’s Bachelor in Paradise. I can confirm to you that this is sadly the case. Out of respect to all involved, there’s only so much I can and will say at this time. Normally with a situation like this I would not say anything until the incident is fully resolved, but with all the rumors and misinformation being put out there, I don’t find that to be possible anymore.
Let me start by saying the safety and care of the cast and crew of our show is of the utmost importance to us. It is with this thought in mind that we made the decision to suspend filming. An investigation into the situation was started immediately. Warner Bros. is handling the details of that investigation. They’re moving quickly to gather all the facts, and once that’s done, a clear, concise decision can be made about where we go from here.
There are a lot of competing details in the various press accounts of the incident. And there’s a lot of misinformation out there too. We urge everyone to be patient until the investigation is complete. I know in this day and age we want—and even expect—immediate answers, but in this case, it’s just not possible. So again, I urge you to please be patient and respect the privacy of the parties involved. I will keep you as informed and up to date as I possibly can. We’re sorry for any inconvenience and disappointment this may have caused the cast, the crew and our loyal fans. It is my sincere hope that we can come to a quick resolution on this and get back to work very soon.”
Filming of the fourth season of Bachelor in Paradise had just begun when a sexual incident between two of the contestants promoted a producer to file a third-party complaint. Recent castoff from Rachel Lindsay’s season of The Bachelorette, DeMario Jackson, is alleged to have been involved in the incident. A source close to productions told PEOPLE that the investigation is only internal, and that authorities are not involved.
ABC has not announced when or if the show will resume production. Bachelor in Paradise was slated to premiere August 8th.
