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The Schmooze

‘Bachelor In Paradise’ Host Responds To Scandal As Rumors Fly Online

Chris Harrison, host and official mouthpiece of “Bachelor in Paradise,” has confirmed that the show has suspended production. This follows Sunday evening rumors that the show had been postponed due to an incident of sexual misconduct over which a producer filed charges against the production.

In a statement obtained by People, Harrison says, “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.”

Harrison has been involved with the franchise since its conception and is frequently relied on to smooth over any debacles that occur onset. Last season, his job involved escorting a violent Chad from the premises before the contestant sank his fist into the face of a man half his size. This is the first time, however, Harrison has spoken out publicly on behalf of the show regarding an incident of sexual misconduct.

The contestants named in the incident were DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios.

Harrison did not directly address those rumors and, in fact, concluded with a pragmatic, rather dad-like statement.

“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.”

The host also failed to confirm whether or not the show would be postponed past its August 8th premiere date or, unthinkably, canceled altogether, which would truly ruin the end of summer for many devout fans.

Becky Scott is the editor of The Schmooze. Follow her on Twitter at @arr_scott

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