A familiar face could be returning to "The Bachelor" franchise.
Amid falling ratings and an overall lack of buzz, ABC is reportedly considering bringing Chris Harrison back as the host of the dating franchise he headed for 19 years.
"Everyone is aware 'TheBachelor' is on life support," a source told Radar Online.
Chris stepped aside from his longtime hosting gig in February 2021 after defending former "Bachelor" contestant Rachael Kirkconnell who was photographed attending an antebellum plantation-themed party in college. In a chat with former "Bachelorette" Rachel Lindsay on "Extra," Chris argued that times had changed, as had the lens in which we look at things. Rachel countered that the images of Rachael were "not a good look."
"Well, Rachel, is it a good look in 2018? Or is it not a good look in 2021? Because there's a big difference," he said, urging fans to have "a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion" for Rachael.
The comments came on the heels of the BLM riots and set Chris' ouster in motion. In the end, he reportedly took a $10 million severance package to leave the show.
Although "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette" and "Bachelor in Paradise" continued with a new host, the ratings have taken a nosedive, which Chris has noticed.
On his "The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever" in January, Chris said, "I'm not mad at the show. The show changed my life. And I am grateful. The majority of people, I love and adored. Look, the show was a massive success. It's a historic show. It changed television in many ways, one of the most relevant television shows in history. And to be a part of that, to have helped create that over 19 years. I take great pride in that."
He continued, "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. 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."
The premiere of Matt James' season of "The Bachelor" — the last season Chris hosted — was watched by 5.2 million people. Since then, ratings have fallen off a cliff.
A source told The Sun last month, "The show has clearly had its ups and downs but this is the first time the big bosses are actually fearful ABC is going to pull the plug. 'The Bachelor' has been a downhill mess that they are trying to keep from falling even farther down but execs are preparing this premiere to be the lowest in the show's history."
Although Radar's new report claims showrunners are eyeing a Chris reconciliation, there's a question as to whether he would even want to return "after the way he was tossed aside," an ABC source said.