Following the announcement of rotating guest hosts on the newest season of Bachelor In Paradise, as well as Chris Harrison’s dramatic exit from the franchise after nearly nineteen years as the host, Tanner Tolbert shared his thoughts on the news with fans on Twitter and Instagram.
The Bachelor In Paradise and The Bachelorette and alum first expressed his thoughts on Twitter, writing that he could care less about seeing David Spade hand out date cards and make jokes, but what he really wants to see is the relationships and drama. While Tanner’s words were met with some criticism, especially considering his history of voicing his opinions and seemingly trying to “stay relevant” in the franchise, many fans seemed to agree with him.
Tanner also expressed on Instagram that his thoughts about the show’s new hosts were coming from a fan’s point of view and were rooted in the idea that the show should honor its true intentions, helping people find love and create drama. And though many fans agreed with him, some also argued that the storylines and drama for Paradise are fabricated months in advance, as a majority of the contestants meet ahead of filming. This was especially evident during season 6 of Bachelor In Paradise, when Blake Horstmann found himself in a so called “love pentagon.” Blake’s history with and interest in multiple girls caused endless drama that included Caelynn Miller-Keyes, Kristina Schulman, and The Bachelorette lead, Tayshia Adams.
As for who will be joining David Spade in Mexico, the franchise announced that Lance Bass, Titus Burgess, and Lil Jon would serve as additional hosts for season 7, while Reality Steve revealed the news that former contestant, Wells Adams and his fiancée, Sarah Hyland, would also be joining the hosting line up.
Of all the hosts, Wells is the most familiar to Bachelor fans. Fans were first introduced to him in 2016, when the then radio host competed for Jojo’s heart on season 12 of The Bachelorette. Fans then followed Wells to Paradise, where he continued on his journey to find love but was once again unsuccessful. Since then, Wells has taken up the post of bartender after replacing the show’s original bartender, Jorge Moreno, in 2017.
Wells seems like the most natural fit to replace Chris Harrison and fill the hosting void in Paradise. Fans have also suggested that other Bachelor alums such as Ben Higgins and Derek Peth should be offered the job, similarly to the current season of The Bachelorette, in which Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams are hosting, in which Tanner also mentions in his commentary. As fans have seen this season, having former contestants host has not only brought some form of comfort to the show in regards to losing Chris Harrison, but it has also given the lead and possibly even the contestants, someone to lean on and answer their questions.
Catch the newest season of Bachelor In Paradise on August 16th at 8pm on ABC.
