'The Bachelor' scandal: Chris Harrison explains

Hope you all had a chance to see for yourselves what happened with Rozlyn [in the Jan. 11 episode]. You heard me say that Rozlyn and one of our staffers entered into an inappropriate relationship. It was a relationship that got physical. [Ed. note: Rozlyn could not be reached for comment, but has denied that their relationship was sexual.] This was not about one person’s ”feelings” for another. We would never go to such extremes because of a schoolyard crush. After extensive research, we came to the conclusion that an inappropriate relationship had occurred. How do we know? Several girls witnessed the inappropriate behavior, and they came forward and told producers what was taking place. Plus, the staffer came forward and confessed. He told exec producers about his physical relationship with Rozlyn. We took what happened very seriously, and he was let go immediately. I can also tell you that since Rozlyn left the show she and the staffer have continued their relationship.

Now let me tell you exactly how it happened. I arrived at the second rose ceremony just like any other day, but things quickly changed. At this point the cocktail party had started and Jake, the ladies, and the majority of the crew knew nothing about what was going on. In the past there have been things, like Wes last season, where we wanted real-life scenarios to play out. But on this occasion, a line was crossed that just couldn’t be tolerated. Producers told me that I would be the one to pull Rozlyn aside and explain to her that we knew everything and that she would have to leave the show immediately. I would also then have to tell Jake and the women. I was emotional and can easily say this was one of the toughest things I’ve had to deal with in the eight years I’ve been hosting this show. Talking to Rozlyn was tough, but telling Jake flat-out sucked. I knew that he really liked this girl and she was one of his front-runners. At first Jake was pissed, and I can’t blame him. By the time Jake and I joined the women, they had seen Rozlyn leave and knew something major had taken place. We were not only disappointed, we were a little embarrassed as well. However, since The Bachelor is a reality show, it means being truthful about what happened and showing everything that occurred, even if it makes us uncomfortable.