Chris Harrison calls his exit from 'The Bachelor' 'a gut punch.' But he's excited about 'The Vow'

LOS ANGELES — An encouraging smile. A warm persona. A champion of happily-ever-after love stories ending in an engagement and a "final rose."

Chris Harrison projected those qualities for 20 years as the face of ABC's reality dating franchise "The Bachelor," solidifying his status as one of reality TV's elite hosts. He was reliably supportive of the leads as they grappled with the mix of wacky contests, fantasy suites, exotic locations and over-the-top drama on the show.

But before the finale of the landmark 2021 season which featured the first Black Bachelor, Matt James, Harrison became embroiled in a racially charged scandal that eventually led to him and the show parting ways. The chapter was one of the most notorious in the history of the franchise, which has been continually rocked by charges of racism, poor vetting, cultural insensitivity and problematic casting. (ABC has announced that "The Bachelor" will return in March despite shelving the most recent season of "The Bachelorette" featuring Taylor Frankie Paul.)

Though he released a gracious parting statement at the time, Harrison now says the exit was "a real gut punch, really tumultuous. It was tough on me and my family."

Harrison has put that moment in the past as he returns to dealing with matters of the heart with Fox Nation's "Chris Harrison's The Vow," which premiered on the streamer with two episodes Wednesday.

"It feels real good to be back, and it's really more emotional than I thought it would be," he said in a video call from Austin, Texas, where he now lives. "It's cathartic and good. The expression of love, and excitement for the show, and myself to be back, makes me feel good."