David Spade and othercelebrities will reportedly guest host "Bachelor in Paradise" this summer.- Host
Chris Harrison stepped down after receiving backlash for defending Rachael Kirkconnell. - In resurfaced photos, "Bachelor" winner Kirkconnell was pictured at an antebellum party.
David Spade will reportedly replace Chris Harrison as guest host of ABC's "Bachelor in Paradise" this summer, along with several other celebrities who will also guest host.
Variety broke the news that Spade and other stars will be filling in for Harrison, who stepped down from his role in the franchise earlier this year after facing backlash for his defense of Rachael Kirkconnell. A source also confirmed to People and other outlets.
Representatives for "Bachelor in Paradise" and ABC didn't immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
Harrison, the longtime host of the "Bachelor" shows, was called out earlier this year for defending Kirkconnell, a contestant and the eventual winner of Matt James' season of "
Kirkconnell first made headlines when a TikTok user accused the then-contestant of bullying her for dating Black men. Another TikTok user also accused her of liking racist photos. Then pictures resurfaced of the Georgian graphic designer attending an antebellum-themed party in college.
After Harrison asked for "grace" for Kirkconnell during an interview with the franchise's first Black Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay about the party pictures, fans and "Bachelor" contestants alike condemned his actions.
Harrison subsequently apologized and announced in a February Instagram post that he was "stepping aside" from the show for a "period of time."
"By excusing historical racism, I defended it," Harrison wrote in his post. "I am ashamed over how uninformed I was. I was so wrong."
"To the Black community, to the BIPOC community: I am so sorry," he added.
Harrison said earlier this year that he planned to return to the 'Bachelor' franchise
Despite Harrison's apology post that he was going to take some time to "evolve," the longtime host said only a month later that he was planning to "be back" on the franchise.
"I am an imperfect man, I made a mistake, and I own that," Harrison said during a March "Good Morning America" interview. "I believe that mistake doesn't reflect who I am or what I stand for."
Harrison added that he wanted to return to the "Bachelor" franchise, where he's also an executive producer.
"I plan to be back and I want to be back. And I think this franchise can be an important beacon of change," Harrison said. "I know that change is felt not just by me but by many others. And we are excited and willing to do the work to show that progress."
After Harrison stepped aside, it was announced that Emmanuel Acho, the bestselling author of "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man," would replace him for the "After the Final Rose" episode.
Meanwhile, Kirkconnell posted a Lent video on Instagram back in February before she was announced as the winner, saying that she wanted to take accountability.
"The first big step in all of this is white people stepping up and taking accountability," she said during the seven-minute video. "Things will never change if we don't all work together in working towards this racial progress and this unity that we want."
During the "After the Final Rose" episode that aired in March, however, it was revealed that James and Kirkconnell split amid the backlash. By May, the two had gotten back together, making their Instagram debut.