Chris Harrison breaks the silence on leaving the undergraduate franchise

Chris Harrison has collected his last rose.

Just hours after reports surfaced claiming the longtime host was leaving the Bachelor franchise, Harrison took to social media to personally confirm the news. “I had a really incredible run as the host of the Bachelor franchise and am now looking forward to starting a new chapter,” he wrote on Instagram on June 8th. “I am so grateful to Bachelor Nation for all of the memories we have. I closed them together. As my two-decade journey comes to an end, the friendships I have made will last for a lifetime. “

Warner Horizon and ABC Entertainment, the companies behind the franchise, also released a joint statement at the end of its trip. “Chris Harrison is stepping down as the host of the undergraduate franchise,” the message reads. “We are grateful for his many contributions over the past 20 years and wish him all the best on his new path.”

Prior to this announcement, Harrison was on a temporary leave following the controversial comments he made in defense of the candidate Rachael Kirkconnell, who came under fire after photos of her were exposed at a fraternity event on the antebellum plantation in 2018.