ABC/Lou Rocco(LOS ANGELES) — After a temporary halt in production last June for this season of Bachelor in Paradise amid allegations of sexual misconduct that were ultimately disproven, the show’s new season debuted on ABC Monday night.
Host Chris Harrison addressed the incident — which involved then-contestants Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson — in an interview that aired on Good Morning America Tuesday.
“You will see that Corinne and DeMario had very little to do with the entire incident as far as filing a complaint or allegations against one another,” Harrison said. “And that’s what created this frustrating situation. It was someone who really wasn’t there and didn’t see or hear anything that kind of got this ball rolling, and so it was kind of this domino effect that I guess led to us having to finally say, ‘Look, we need to take everybody’s safety and that is the utmost importance.'”
Shooting on the season resumed after production company Warner Bros. completed an investigation, noting the accusations weren’t supported by evidence.
Bachelor in Paradise aired the arrival of Olympios and Jackson in Mexico, along with the rest of the cast, and showed the pair spending time together in the first episode. But producers confirmed to ABC News the show will not air the controversial footage that led to the shutdown, and that neither Olympos nor Jackson will return to the show.
However, Harrison said both Olympios and Jackson will get a chance on the show to clear the air concerning the alleged incident and its aftermath.
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