On Wednesday (August 12), Chris Harrison revealed he left the sequestered Palm Springs set of The Bachelorette. While the longtime Bachelor Nation host shared this information amid the confusion and upheaval of Clare Crawley's decision to step down as the upcoming season's lead, it appears Harrison's decision to leave set had nothing to do with the drama. In an Instagram post, Harrison shared he traveled to Texas to drop his son off at college.

Though Harrison's decision to leave set seemingly had nothing to do with Crawley, it still left fans wondering what his departure meant for the show. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the cast and crew of the upcoming season all underwent a two-week quarantine period before they were able to interact on set. Once they finished their two week quarantine at the La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs, they were all required to stay sequestered together at the resort for health and safety reasons. This would mean that Harrison would once again have to quarantine for 14 days upon his return to Palm Springs, especially as cases in Texas continue to rise.

“The moment he got back, Chris was told he could not set foot back on the set until he went through another 14-day quarantine,” an insider dished to Us Weekly. “The show’s contestants and crew all had to quarantine on the property for 14 days prior to the camera’s rolling. But it didn’t dawn on Chris he’d have to do it all over again if he simply left to take his kid to college.”

According to Us Weekly's source, ABC has tapped former Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher to fill in for Harrison while he undergoes self-isolation. Fletcher was reportedly called in to cover Harrison's absence, however, it's unclear what safety measures the 29-year-old reality star underwent upon arrival to set. The source assured Us Weekly that Harrison "will be back in time for the last few shows."

The Bachelorette is set to return to ABC Tuesdays this fall. Will you be tuning in?

Photo: Getty

Lisa St. Regis

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