Kaitlyn Bristowe and Chris Harrison, former long-time host of “The Bachelor,” was a case of friendship gone bad in a flash after “Bachelorette” hosting. But the reality TV star knows what went down.
Bristowe became known after her appearance on “The Bachelor” in 2015. Though she did not emerge as the winner of Chris Soules’ season, she scored a high mark with the audience.
Her sense of humor and humility made her a fan-favorite, even as a “Bachelorette” lead where she fell for Shawn Booth, her ex-fiancé of three years. But since her TV adventure began on the love show, she has gone on to earmark her place as an entertainer on other top shows.
Apart from winning the 29th season of “Dancing With the Stars,” “The Bachelor” alum hoisted herself as a podcaster in 2017 and released her single track. So it was not a big surprise for her to win a hosting gig alongside former Bachelorette Tayshia Adams on season 17 of “The Bachelorette.”
But that might have created a vacuum between Kaitlyn Bristowe and Chris Harrison, a former host of “The Bachelor” franchise.
Kaitlyn Bristowe: Chris Harrison 'ghosted' me over 'Bachelorette' hosting gig https://t.co/wvInEsOq2e pic.twitter.com/ygPEWoBLom
— Page Six (@PageSix) February 1, 2023
Kaitlyn Bristowe and Chris Harrison No Longer Friends After Bachelorette Hosting
Kaitlyn Bristowe and Chris Harrison were pals, but one of them decided to recline after a win for the other. 2021 was the first time Bristowe was announced as host for “The Bachelorette.” Before then, Harrison had handled all Bachelor franchises, including “The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette” and “Bachelor in Paradise”
However, the 51-year-old was stripped of his position as host after jumping to the rescue of a contestant accused of racism. But apart from saying his farewell to the Bachelor Nation, his departure marked the end of his friendship with the new co-host.
The full effect of Kaitlyn Bristowe and Chris Harrison’s Bachelorette hosting was chronicled on “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast. Bristowe explained that her former friend ghosted her once stories of her being his replacement were published.
She was irritated by the reports and wanted to assure him that he was irreplaceable. So Bristowe messaged him several times but was ignored. Still, she did not give up, as the new host needed mentoring from the season’s presenter. She continued to contact him, but this time switching to calls. In her head, she thought:
“OK, he hates me. We were best friends and now he hates me.”
But as fate would have it, she had the moment of confronting her fears after spotting her former friend at a wedding. “The Bachelorette” alum reached out to him, confessing that she missed him. But to her dismay, Harrison hinted that he was never gone.
Bristowe accused him of ignoring her but did not take it to heart. Instead, she cooked up a reasonable excuse for him, adding that he was going through a tough time. Despite the maturity, it did not stop her from mourning over their beautiful friendship that “went down the toilet.” Meanwhile, she is focused on building her life with her fiancé, Jason Tartick.