Following "Bachelor" host Chris Harrison's announcement that he would be "stepping aside" from the franchise amid controversy over excusing racism, the reality dating show announced Saturday that author and TV host Emmanuel Acho would take his place for the "After the Final Rose" special. Set to air March 15, the one-hour special will air immediately following the show's season finale. Acho and "Bachelor" star Matt James will discuss the season, James' final decision and what he has been up to since, along with "current events about the franchise," according to a news release. More: Chris Harrison 'stepping aside' from 'The Bachelor' for now after excusing 'historical racism'. Empathy is needed and change is coming. More: Rachel Lindsay disables Instagram after 'rude, hateful' backlash from 'Bachelor' fans, co-host says.

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Jill Martin is back on the dating scene after ending engagement
Matt Lauer previously hosted the annual event as he was a lead anchor on the Today Show. But, he was later fired from the news program in November due to an allegation of "inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. In May, Lauer resurfaced after taking time away from the spotlight in order to level allegations at journalist Ronan Farrow. The journalist's work helped lead to Lauer's dismissal from the Today Show. He wrote that he was going to share his thoughts about the book months prior, but he was re-inspired to speak out after the New York Times published an essay titled "Is Ronan Farrow Too Good to be True" that featured criticism for Farrow's journalistic practices. The former anchor continued to write that his essay wasn't meant to be vindication for him but was meant to call into question "whether changing social attitudes can be allowed to change the most fundamental rules of journalism… it's about whether, as journalists, we have a responsibility to check facts and vet sources.


LATEST FROM THE SHOW
Last year, Netflix released a new kind of dating show, in the time before shows like Love is Blind and Too Hot To Handle really took off in the grim era of Unlike other dating shows, this one had no talking heads while also making sure to provide people of various races and sexual orientations, making it relatable to more than the straight audience that shows of this nature seem to typically appeal to. Before the second season drops on Friday, you might be wondering what happened to those featured on the first season, which took place in New York. Are they still together or did they go their separate ways for the best?



By Emily Smith. As the Covid quarantine continues to wreak devastation on relationship and marriages — a new high-profile couple has split. After dating for nearly two years, Martin and Brooks, who works in private equity, were engaged in the Hamptons in May