Bachelor in Paradise bartender and new "master of ceremonies" Wells Adams has revealed whether he'd be open to replacing Chris Harrison and hosting The Bachelor franchise going forward.
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However, Wells acknowledged, "I want to be a part of the franchise in whatever aspect that they want me to be involved, to be honest with you. I love being the bartender. The host role is the one that is a little bit separated from the cast, if you're really looking at it objectively."
Not only will Wells reprise his role behind the bar at the Bachelor in Paradise resort in Sayulita, Mexico and serve as a guest host of Season 7 among other celebrities, but he has also agreed to be the show's "master of ceremonies" in which he'll lead the cocktail party and Rose Ceremonies.
"[With] the bartender role, I'm entrenched with everyone. I'm kind of a part of the landscape, and so my relationship with them is a very strong one," Wells said.
"Whereas the host role has got to be a little bit step back and a little bit more objective, I suppose."
Wells confirmed "there haven't been talks" about him taking over as The Bachelor franchise host although Michelle Young's The Bachelorette edition is right around the corner and set to air in Fall 2021.
But Wells suggested he would at least entertain the idea of being the show's host if the position is eventually offered to him.
"Whatever Bachelor Nation wants and what ABC wants, I'm happy to do," Wells shared. "But I'm just excited for Paradise. I'm excited to mix up some margaritas and some drama and just watch it all burn in front of me."
In terms of being named Bachelor in Paradise's new "master of ceremonies," Wells apparently doesn't think it's a big deal.
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"[ABC] couldn't convince some of the [guest-hosting] celebrities to stay up as late as you have to for cocktail parties and for Rose Ceremonies -- and I'm in there bartending, so they're like, 'Oh yeah, throw Wells into it and he'll do a good job," Wells said with a laugh.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOWOther guest hosts expected to make an appearance on Bachelor in Paradise this summer are actor and comedian David Spade, former NSYNC boyband member Lance Bass, rapper Lil Jon, actor Tituss Burgess, and The Bachelor alum Nick Viall.
Wells noted it was great to have celebrities and comedians drop by in Paradise and "bring the funny."
"I want everyone to remember that Paradise is a comedy show, and we've had a rough year-and-a-half, like, I think America needs a feel-good comedy show with a little drama and romance thrown in there," Wells told ET.
"And so they're going to bring that, and obviously Lance brings musicality and the boyband with him... I think a lot of people are going to kind of be starstruck, and Lil Jon just brings really, really good vibes... He comes in hot. If I'm being honest, he was my favorite person to hang out and work with."
Bachelor in Paradise's seventh season is scheduled to premiere Monday, August 16 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC, and in the meantime, The Bachelorette's seventeenth season starring Katie Thurston is currently airing.
Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams stepped in as co-hosts of Katie's The Bachelorette season after Chris' racism controversy, which resulted in ABC and Chris publicly declaring last month that Chris' voluntary leave of absence from The Bachelor franchise -- which began in February -- has become a permanent one and he will not return as host for any future seasons.
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"I've had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise, and now I'm excited to start a new chapter," Chris wrote in a June 8 statement posted to his Instagram account.
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Wells admitted he was "surprised and shocked" by Chris' exit, but he wouldn't say whether he believes it was the right decision for ABC to part ways with the show's longtime host.
"I don't know. I'm just the bartender," Wells said.
Deadline reported in early June that Chris, who hosted The Bachelor franchise since its 2002 premiere, reached a mid-range eight-figure settlement with ABC to exit The Bachelor franchise for good.
But Variety recently reported Chris only received $9 million as his supposed big payout.
When asked what it was like to film Bachelor in Paradise without Chris, Wells replied, "It's a different vibe, if I'm being honest."
"Change is always hard, I understand that," Wells said. "At the end of the day, I wish Chris nothing but the best, and I'm just excited for everyone to get to come back and enter the gates of Paradise."
Wells gushed, "I truly do love helping make the show," and added, "I think America truly does love coming to the gates and walking down the steps with us. So I'm just happy that it's back."
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Wells, who initially competed for JoJo Fletcher's heart on The Bachelorette's twelfth season, concluded that Bachelor in Paradise fans are in for "a really fun ride" this summer.
"And then I'll be there for the therapy sessions and for the drinks," Wells joked, "and saying things, like, 'If you did not receive a rose, please take a moment and say your goodbyes.'"
Chris announced in February he'd be "stepping aside" from his hosting duties with The Bachelor franchise "for a period of time" to educate himself on racism in society in a "profound" and "productive" manner after he made offensive remarks in an early-February Extra interview with The Bachelorette's first Black leading lady, Rachel Lindsay.
In the Extra interview, Chris had defended The Bachelor Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell's racially-ignorant and racially-insensitive actions in the last several years and adopted a dismissive attitude towards photos of Rachael that resurfaced from an antebellum-plantation themed "Old South" fraternity party at Georgia College & State University in 2018.
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Chris subsequently issued three apologies for his offense, two on Instagram and one verbal apology during a March appearance on Good Morning America.
On GMA at the time, Chris said he hoped to come back to The Bachelor franchise, explaining, "This is a franchise that has been a part of my life for the better part of 20 years and I love it. I plan to be back and I want to be back."
But several sources told E! News in April that "many" The Bachelor and The Bachelorette alums from seasons past were "apprehensive" about signing up for Bachelor in Paradise 7 or even declined their invitations in the wake of Chris' racism controversy.
One insider told the website at the time, "A lot of people are removing themselves from the franchise."
The Bachelorette Season 16 bachelor, Ivan Hall, for example, told E!'s Daily Pop in February, "If they have future shows and if they were to ask me to be on Bachelor in Paradise or something like that -- and I'm sure a lot of other contestants feel this way as well -- I wouldn't feel comfortable if Chris is there, to be quite frank."
Ivan added, "[I'm] not saying he can't make a recovery, can't learn from all of this, but, you know... it would just be too soon, really."
Click here to find out which bachelors and bachelorettes are reportedly going on Bachelor in Paradise this summer.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
