The Bachelor star Ben Higgins' season is winding down, and the show's host Chris Harrison has a lot to say about it.

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With overnight Fantasy Suites dates coming up as well as The Women Tell All special and Season 20's much-anticipated finale, Chris offered up some exciting teasers while also reflecting back on Higgins' emotional journey as a whole.

Higgins still has Caila Quinn, Joelle "JoJo" Fletcher and Lauren Bushnell in the running for his heart.

During a Friday conference call with reporters, Chris talked about The Bachelor. Below is a portion of what he had to say. Check our show page for more from the host's interview, including what Chris told Reality TV World.

When Ben told two women he loved them, did it cause any internal problems for him since he was so honest?  

Chris Harrison: Well, it was either Night 1 or Night 2. It might have been the second Rose Ceremony. I remembered he came in and he was really emotional and he was not upset, but he was just emotional. He was really weighing on them heavily and I put my arm in his shoulder and I said, "Ben, buddy, this is -- this is nothing." 

I said, "I know you think tonight is going to be an impact on it. I know you're sending people home. It's not easy, but let me tell you, we're not even close to what you're going to feel coming down the stretch when families are involved and there's really, you know, true love involved in."

Then for Ben at the finale, he was, you know, unbelievably emotional and it's not just because he told two women out loud that he loves them -- it would have happened anyway -- but it's just the type of guy he is, and it's brutal. It's really emotional and tough to watch. I don't think anybody will walk away thinking that he took the decision lightly and that it didn't impact him massively. 

Mike Fleiss said that this finale is going to be probably one of the biggest ones yet. Can you tell us a little bit more about that without obviously spoiling it?

Chris Harrison: Mike Fleiss promoting something big?! I find that hard to believe. (Laughs) I mean, here's the thing, it's hard to believe that this thing is already coming to an end, this season, because, I don't know, I feel like it's been so good and everybody has had such an insatiable appetite for Ben, for the girls. 

I think it's been such a fantastic season that I feel like it's flown by. I'm kind of sad that it's already over. I want to, like, stretch it out further somehow. And so with that said, you know, what is about to happen in the next two weeks -- and obviously we have The Women Tell All special coming up -- but the next two final episodes I think are so moving and so emotional.

A while back, we were talking I think after like [Jubilee Sharpe] left and there was like one other kind of superficial moment that was kind of dramatic, and I said, "This is when the show really changes, when you get done with the surface stuff." And what's going to happen now is so deep and so emotional that it really is, I think, just incredible to watch. And, you know, Monday night is going to be a testament to that.

And then in the finale, obviously you've seen how emotional Ben gets. You know, he does pull at least a three-quarter Mesnick. He's that emotional and he's really narrowed it down to the women that he loves, and he's trying to make this decision and he knows he's going to hurt somebody and he knows he's going to lose somebody he cares about. 

So it's really -- I've seen mostly all of it. I don't know if the finale is completely finished yet. But the parts I have seen, they're just really moving. I think people are going to love it. I think it's very fitting for how good of a season it's been.

Does anything surprise you anymore or have you become desensitized of all the crazy things that have happened over the past 20 seasons? 

Chris Harrison: What's funny, and I have said this before, you don't become desensitized. Because I always tell everybody that I don't know what it is yet, but going in to every season, something is going to happen that we've never run across before. It's inevitable and it always happens, and you just have to wait for it and figure out what that is.

And it will present itself. But you know, again, if you know the show, every season is so different because Ben is unlike [Sean Lowe], and unlike [Kaitlyn Bristowe], and unlike, you know, everybody who has come before him. They all bring their own history, their own baggage, you know, their own stuff and they go about it differently. 

So even though the show's themes are very similar, they're all very different and our approach has to be very different in how we produce. You know, I didn't treat Kaitlyn the same as I treat Ben and vice versa, so it's just interesting. It's a fun dynamic because our show always involves some changes.

And you know, this season with Ben, it seems like things were just kind of progressing. And then at the end, he tells two women that he loves them and then says it out loud and we're like, "Oh, okay. Look, now there's that." You have to go with the flow. But that's fun; It's a fun way to produce and do the show, and it gets everybody involved. 

And really, I can't say enough about how much everybody genuinely likes Ben -- but I don't mean the girls -- I mean us as producers, and hosts, and our photogs, and our audio and lighting.

I can't tell you what a joy that makes our job when you have the lead that is so into the show and he's so genuine and caring and giving. It just made our job so much easier. You want to work for him. You want this to work. It was a real pleasure to kind of go through with them.

What do you think are the Top 3 characteristics you'd like to see in the next The Bachelorette star?

Chris Harrison: Wow. I mean, I think it's the same -- it's a tough question... someone that we feel sincerely will take this opportunity and make it work like Ben did or Kaitlyn did. But as far as like the personality traits, you know, they really vary. I think that's what's great about the show. 

I mean, gosh, we've done this for 20 seasons of The Bachelor... and they're having the 12th season of The Bachelorette. They are so different and it really has run the spectrum of where they come from, who they are, what they bring to the table, and they're all so different. 

You can't treat them the same, although I love that. I feel like every season is just new and unique. But I think that keeps the show fresh and it keeps it relevant. So I don't know -- I'm not at all dodging your question. I guess I don't think there is -- there's none to test with. It's really not to test with. 
  
And in all honesty, when I sit down with Mike Fleiss, Rob Mills of ABC and then it goes way beyond, you know, on up the food chain. We never sit down and go, "Okay, guys, who's type A, charismatic, funny, whatever?" We don't really have that template or boxes we check off. I don't know. I guess it's a more emotional decision than it is anything.

Do you anticipate any stunning admissions during The Bachelor or After the Final Rose? Can you predict it will be a happy time?

Chris Harrison: I don't know yet. I don't know. That's a good question and I guess the best, honest answer I can give you is I'm not sure. I think I'll know before that night, but you just don't know with how this season plays out and what's going on behind the scenes right now, so we'll see. It will be an interesting night, but I think it's going to be good.

Check our The Bachelor show page for more from Chris Harrison's interview.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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