'Bachelor' producers back Rachel Lindsay, say harassment towards star is 'completely inexcusable'
'Bachelorette' lead has allegedly received hateful messages after Chris Harrison interview
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Executive producers behind the "Bachelor" franchise condemned harassment against Rachel Lindsay on Monday after it was revealed she disabled her Instagram account following a swarm of hateful comments.
Lindsay's "Higher Learning" podcast co-host Van Lathan revealed over the weekend that the former "Bachelorette" lead had no choice but to disable her account due to the problematic messages she was receiving after her Extra interview with longtime "Bachelor" host Chris Harrison, who is now on temporary leave.
"As Executive Producers of The Bachelor Franchise we would like to make it perfectly clear that any harassment directed towards Rachel Lindsay in the aftermath of her interview with Chris Harrison is completely inexcusable. Rachel has received an unimaginable amount of hate and has been subjected to severe online bullying, which, more often than not, has been rooted in racism. That is totally unacceptable," a statement posted across the Bachelor Nation verified social media accounts reads.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}RACHEL LINDSAY DISABLED INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT OVER ONLINE HARASSMENT FROM ‘BACHELOR’ FANS, SAYS CO-HOST
The statement goes on to call Lindsay "an incredible advocate for our cast" and commends her for having "worked tirelessly towards racial equity and inclusion."
Lindsay made history for the franchise as the first Black female lead in Season 13 of "The Bachelorette." Earlier this month, however, she was dragged into some of the backlash Harrison is facing as comments he made during their interview for Extra led to his dismissal as host.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The pair discussed the current season of "The Bachelor," which features Matt James, the first Black male lead for the series. Eventually Lindsay, 35, and Harrison, 49, had a disagreement on the public perception of James’ potential love interest Rachael Kirkconnell, who had been outed for racially-insensitive activities she had done in the past.
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Rachel Lindsay starred as the lead in 'The Bachelorette' reality dating show on ABC. Her season appeared on the network in 2017. (ABC)
Photos shared on Reddit show Kirkconnell, 24, attending an "Old South" sorority party while wearing an antebellum-style dress in 2018 as well as a Native American costume she wore at a party she attended in 2020. A TikTok user shared a video in January with a caption that claimed Kirkconnell "bullied" her for liking "Black guys" in high school.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harrison did not outright disavow or offer criticism of Kirkconnell’s past actions, which were only alleged at the time since she had not issued a statement at the time of the interview.
"We all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion," Harrison told Lindsay when she broached the topic to him.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harrison immediately got blasted for seemingly defending Kirkconnell and perpetuating racism, according to critics. He later issued two apologies via Instagram, and announced that he is temporarily "stepping aside for a period of time."
Chris Harrison announced he will be stepping back from his hosting duties for the 'Bachelor' franchise amid a racism controversy. (ABC/Todd Wawrychuck)
Amid the controversy, Lindsay announced her plans to leave the franchise when her contract expires.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I can’t take it anymore," Lindsay told "Higher Learning" podcast co-host in their Feb. 12 podcast episode. "I’m contractually bound in some ways. But when it’s up, I am too. I can’t do it anymore."
Meanwhile, former NFL player Emmanuel Acho, 30, will be hosting "The Bachelor: After the Final Rose" in place of Harrison, according to a tweet the show put out on Saturday.