Television June 13, 2017
Chris Harrison Speaks Out on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Sex Scandal
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“Bachelor in Paradise” host Chris Harrison is weighing in on the scandal that led to the suspension of filming on the new season.
On Sunday, Warner Bros. confirmed that production on the fourth season of “Bachelor in Paradise” has been halted while an investigation is underway over allegations of “misconduct."
Harrison said in a statement to "Extra" on Tuesday morning, "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.”
He emphasized, "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.”
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"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,” Harrison added. "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.”
Aside from Chris, an unnamed contestant also gave their account of what happened on set when the scandal broke. The contestant said, "We were told to stay in a certain part of the [resort] while they figured out what the hell had happened. We knew something bad had happened; there was a dark energy that came around the house. You have to understand that we weren't even there a week. The game hadn't even really begun yet.”
"They stopped taping anything, and we were just kind of there, waiting in limbo,” the contestant revealed.
The two contestants at the center of the scandal are Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson, who allegedly engaged in sex acts while intoxicated.
