Will Chris Harrison accept an upcoming rose from his former employer?
This is what many celebrity gossip and entertainment news followers are now wondering.
As previously reported, you see, The Bachelor is currently suffering through its least-watched season in history.
According to the official ratings report, the Season 27 premiere garnered a mere 2.96 million viewers, which is a significant drop from the 3.54 million who tuned in for the Season 26 opener.
What might be the cause of this decline?
It had to happen eventually, right? Considering how many years the franchise has been on the air?
But viewers may also be sick of the same, vanilla-looking and sounding white male lead… while many might also be sick of couples breaking up pretty much as soon as the cameras stop rolling.
The show is clearly scripted nonsense.
There’s also the Chris Harrison issue.
Let go by executives after he mishandled a race-based controversy about two years ago, Harrison seems to think he could rescue The Bachelor and save it from cancelation.
“I live by the axiom never say never because in life and business, that comes back to bite you in the butt,” Harrison said on the February 20 edition of his podcast The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever, adding of a return someday:
“Would I have that conversation?
“Yes. I also believe in relationships and in business, take the phone call and you listen and you have that conversation, whether it’s uncomfortable or not.”
Regarding conversations producers might be having of asking him back, Harrison added last month:
“It would not be a surprise. In fact, I would be shocked if they aren’t happening.”
An insider, meanwhile, told Radar Online late last week that the show has “got to do something fast” or it may be yanked off the air.
“They’re considering adding more exotic locations for dates and giving more time to focus on family drama in cases where contestants and their relatives are at odds,” said the Radar source.
Harrison is keenly aware of where the ratings stand, too.
“When I left, it was still the number one show on TV. Now, look. Do I keep an eye on the ratings? Do I know what’s happening now?
“I’m not going to say I’m not so humble or whatever to have not paid attention to the scoreboard. Yes, I do know,” Harrison said on his podcast.
“I realize the ratings are down 50 to 60% and the show has changed dramatically. That hurts me a little bit because it’s something I took pride in building.”
It’s unclear where things go from here, but Harrison figures he can’t really lose, either way.
“He’s getting a real kick from seeing the show tank without him!” Radar claims.
“He says he’s waiting for their offer — but it would need to be a big one to get him to come back!”
The Bachelor is in Danger; Will Chris Harrison Return to Save It?!? was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.