The Bitter Ending To Chris Harrison And Kaitlyn Bristowe's Friendship

Chris Harrison and Kaitlyn Bristowe's friendship has wilted like a rose. The former "The Bachelor" host met Bristowe in 2015 after she was a contestant on the season with Chris Soules as the titular bachelor, per US Weekly. Bristowe made it far on that season but didn't get the final rose; however, the network named her as a bachelorette for a new season. 

Throughout Bristowe's journey on the show, Harrison has supported and defended her even when she faced backlash for sleeping with Nick Viall on the show. They're grown adults and they're looking for love. I wasn't that appalled," Harrison told E! News.

Bristowe ended up finding love on the show, but just because her time as "The Bachelorette" came to an end, it doesn't mean that her friendship with Harrison ended. In 2018, when the reality star launched her podcast "Off The Vine" she interviewed Harrison, who revealed the two hang out frequently with his family, per US Weekly. It truly seemed like nothing could come between the two, but things took a turn when Harrison got the boot from ABC.

In June 2021, Harrison announced his departure from ABC and "The Bachelor," per NBC News. His abrupt exit came not long after the host defended one of the former contestants' racist behavior. After this, not only did Harrison's career go downhill, but his friendship with Bristowe did the same.

Kaitlyn Bristowe is Bachelor Nation royalty, so when the network scrambled for potential hosts after Chris Harrison's sudden exit, they turned to Bristowe and fellow bachelorette Tayshia Adams. In March 2021, it was announced that Bristowe and Adams would step in for Harrison in the upcoming season of "The Bachelorette." "We support Chris in the work that he is committed to doing. In his absence, former Bachelorettes Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe will support the new Bachelorette through next season," the network's statement read, per Page Six.

Bachelor Nation went wild over the news, but Bristowe explained on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast how she wasn't hired on to replace Harrison for Katie Thurston's season. "They offered me the position to come in and what they said was it was to mentor Katie. I wouldn't be replacing Chris," she said.

Although Bristowe never intended to replace Harrison, it certainly seemed that way. "So then, all these articles started coming out saying Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams replacing Chris Harrison. So I messaged Chris, probably 10 times without him responding," she explained. 

Bristowe admitted she felt "icky" about how everything unfolded. But despite sending Harrison several messages explaining the situation, she never got a response. Unaware of where her friendship stood, Bristowe couldn't help but feel it was over. "I was like okay, he hates me. We were best friends and now he hates me," she shared.

Kaitlyn Bristowe's messages to former "The Bachelor" host Chris Harrison went unanswered after she took on hosting "The Bachelorette," but the reality star revealed on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast that she would run into Harrison not long after. While she hoped this would be the opportunity to rekindle the friendship, disappointment would come as if she was a contestant let go on "The Bachelor." "I saw him at Wells and Sarah's wedding and I walked him to him and I was like, 'I miss you,' and he was like, 'Well I've always been here,'" Bristowe recalled. 

 Harrison's response made it clear to the reality star that their friendship "went down the toilet." However, not long after Bristowe and Harrison decided to clear the air on the host's podcast, "The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever with Chris Harrison."

On that podcast, Harrison admitted, "I was saddened that a friend of mine was mourning the loss of our friendship and that that friendship had changed. And yes, to a certain degree, it did change." Harrison revealed he wanted someone to check in on him when he was replaced, but not in the way the reality star did by explaining how and why she replaced him. 

However, Harrison has since moved on, and it looks like at least now Bristowe and the former "The Bachelor" host can be acquaintances.