Chris Harrison, the host of “The Bachelor” and its spinoffs, has spoken out for the first time regarding the incident that caused production on “Bachelor in Paradise” to be halted last week.
“There are a lot of competing details in the various press accounts of the incident,” Harrison said in a statement issued Tuesday via producer Warner Bros. Television. “And there’s a lot of misinformation out there too. We urge everyone to be patient until the investigation is complete.”
On Sunday, Warner Bros. issued a statement saying, “We have become aware of allegations of misconduct on the set of ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ in Mexico. We have suspended production and we are conducting a thorough investigation of these allegations. Once the investigation is complete, we will take appropriate responsive action.”
Details on the incident that prompted the shutdown have not been forthcoming from Warner Bros. Multiple media reports have alleged an improper sexual encounter between two contestants that prompted a complaint by a producer on the show.
No official work on the future of what would be the fourth season of “Bachelor in Paradise” is expected until after the Warner Bros. investigation is completed. The season had been slated to premiere Aug. 8, and shooting in Mexico had only recently begun.
Read the full statement from Harrison 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.
Thank you
Chris Harrison
