‘The Bachelor’ host stepping away after racial controversy

<p>Chris Harrison, host of “The Bachelor,” says he is stepping down from his TV role and is “ashamed” for his handling of a swirling racial controversy at the ABC dating show.</p>
<p>In a new statement posted Saturday, Harrison apologized again for defending the actions by a contestant that are considered offensive. “By excusing historical racism, I defended it,” he wrote.</p>
<p>Harrison came under fire after an interview on “Extra” when he was asked about racially insensitive past behavior from current “Bachelor” contestant Rachael Kirkconnell. </p>
<p>Past photos of her resurfaced in which she is dressed in costume as a Native American and at an antebellum plantation themed ball. Kirkconnell later issued an apology for what she calls her past “racist and offensive” actions. </p>
<p>In the interview, Harrison defended Kirkconnell against what he called the “woke police” on social media. “We all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion," he said in the interview.</p>
<p>Harrison apologized on Saturday, saying “my ignorance did damage” and he was “ashamed over how uninformed I was.” He said he is stepping aside from his TV show “for a period of time” and will not be hosting the ”After the Final Rose" special that will follow the season finale of “The Bachelor.”</p>