Hannah Brown's controversial appearance on The Bachelor made Peter Weber consider quitting the show to be with her.
The people who can't stand her had better buckle up, because Chris Harrison is discussing giving her another season of The Bachelorette.
This week, during the ABC Winter Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, Chris Harrison dropped a bombshell to multiple outlets.
He revealed that Hannah Brown could potentially return as the leading lady on The Bachelorette.
"Anything can happen," he teased the crowd.
Chris admitted: "It’s not out of the realm of possibilities."
Whether Hannah "can" return is not the same as whether Hannah "should" return, of course.
"That’s a tough question," Chris confesses when faced with the question of whether she should be the leading lady again.
He admits: "I don’t know."
"I’m not against it," Chris clarifies as he considers the idea of Hannah once again going through suitors
"Obviously, she’s great TV," Chris points out. That much is undeniable.
He then acknowledges: "But I could also see people that would rail against it."
"So, I don’t know," Chris remarks. "I think it’d be … compelling."
"And, does she deserve it?" he asks rhetorically. "I don’t know if anyone deserves it."
Earlier this week, Nick Viall spoke on the same subject on his podcast.
"I still think Hannah could be the Bachelorette again," he acknowledged.
He expressed: "It wouldn’t surprise me."
Few people understand the complex inner workings of that franchise like those who have been the leads on it.
"Hannah’s had a tough run in terms of the dating stuff," Nick acknowledged.
"It didn’t work out with Jed," he massively understated.
Nick speculated: "I think she shot her shot with Tyler, he kind of was like, ‘Meh.’"
"And that’s how, it kind of comes across," he explained, referring to Hannah appearing on Peter's season. "Like, just keep going down the list."
As Chris says, Hannah is absolutely great television.
She's a polarizing figure. Some of us fell head over heels in love with her during her "windmill" moment.
Others, however, decided to despise her instead. It was the biggest controversy of her season -- despite all that we know about Jed.
And that is exactly why producers had Hannah show up on Peter's season.
Remember this season during Bachelor in Paradise when certain viewers were flipping out over Demi being there?
Clearly, producers liked how polarizing that was for viewers, and wanted to replicate that success on Peter's season.
That is why Hannah -- who of course is contractually obligated towards ABC -- is on Season 24.
Any drama that might play out between her and Peter is drama that producers want to capture on camera.
Exposing her so much to insults and vitriol, giving her the appearance of "overstaying her welcome," isn't doing Hannah any favors.
But it's not meant to. This is ABC's move for ABC's benefit. They love when fans are talking.
It's unlikely that they can make Hannah become The Bachelorette again, though. She would probably have to actually agree to it.
Would Hannah put herself through that gauntlet again if they ask her? We can only guess.
