Lil Jon, Tituss Burgess, Lance Bass, and everyone else hosting the new season of Bachelor In Paradise
David Spade is just one of many hosts hitting the beach this summer
The mad king of Bachelor Nation has been deposed. No longer shall one host rule them all because ABC has recruited a whole-ass ARMY of hosts to uphold the sanctity of what is arguably the crown jewel of this messy heteronormative empire. Variety has revealed that there will be not one, not two, but at least four celebrities shepherding this year’s assortment of hot singles through the Bachelor In Paradise process. Lil Jon (yes that one), Tituss Burgess, and Lance Bass are joining previously announced celeb guest host David Spade on the highly anticipated seventh season of the series, which was delayed due to the pandemic. There are potentially “more” celebrity guest hosts to come, per Variety’s report, but that’s a pretty bananas collection of names as is—and it’s wildly appropriate for the franchise’s most ridiculous and entertaining spinoff. Paradise bartender and Bachelor fave Wells Adams will also be returning, joined this time by his fiancé, Modern Family star and Bachelor mega-fan Sarah Hyland. It’s unclear if Hyland will be setting up shop behind the bar with Wells, or if they’ll also be putting in time as guest hosts.
The news comes on the heels of yesterday’s announcement that longtime Bachelor host Chris Harrison was officially fired from the franchise. Harrison had previously taken an indefinite hiatus following comments he made earlier this year to former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay in defense of Rachael Kirkconnell, the then-current frontrunner on Matt James’ season of The Bachelor. James, the first Black Bachelor, had already filmed the finale in which he chose Kirkconnell when photos appeared online showing Kirkconnell attending an Old South-themed college event at a plantation. In an interview with Lindsay—the franchise’s first Black Bachelorette—Harrison defended Kirkconnell, forcing a long overdue convo about racism within the franchise and its fan community.
In response, ABC plotted two new seasons of The Bachelorette with Katie Thurston and Michelle Young from James’ season each getting a full run, separated by the seventh season of Bachelor In Paradise this summer. Former Bachelorette leads Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe stepped in to replace Harrison as the hosts of Thurston’s season, which debuted this week; having two women who have already been through this circus on board to guide Thurston through the process already feels way more appropriate and rewarding than some middle-aged white man who is famous because he just happened to be on the ABC lot at the right time.
Not that you would, but please do not feel sorry for Chris Harrison, who reportedly received an EIGHT-FIGURE payout as a parting gift.