The Bachelor season starring Ben Higgins 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 to Reality TV World about The Bachelor. Below is what he had to say. Check back with Reality TV World soon for more.

Reality TV World: While you were filming the show and you found out Ben told two women he was in love with them, what was your reaction and prediction at the time? Were you thinking Ben might pull a Jason Mesnick by changing his mind after choosing one woman?

Chris Harrison: Honestly, I was a little bit shocked at how it all transpired. He has done such a good job and he's still doing a really good job of just compartmentalizing, which you really have to do. And this sounds weird in dating, but you kind of have to live in the moment and live in that relationship.

When you're with Caila, or you're with JoJo or Lauren, you have to just really concentrate and make sure that they are the only one on your mind. And he did such a good job of that -- maybe too good of a job, I don't know (laughs) -- but he just got to the point where he felt that emotion for two women.

And I don't even know if he was conscious of the fact he did it until later, but we kind of talked to him about the fact he had told two women that he loved them. And he kind of stopped and was like, "Oh..." I think he just felt the moment, said it and believed it. So, it was very interesting to see how it all transpired. I think if anything I was a little bit shocked that he really did get there with two women!

Reality TV World: Before the Final Rose Ceremony filmed, did you think a proposal would be a smart idea for Ben considering he truly loved two women at the end of the show? If you were in that situation, would you hold off and need more time to date? Would you worry that maybe you hadn't found "the one" -- the girl you should marry -- if the choice wasn't clear-cut?

Chris Harrison: Well, again, we'll see what happens! I always go into it trying not to put my opinion or what I think into play when I talk to them. I've learned that from having done this for 15 years. I mean, you go back to [Desiree Hartsock]. Des is a great example. I don't know if you remember when [Brooks Forester] broke her heart.

It was a week-and-a-half or so before the finale and Brooks said goodbye, and it really devastated her. It just really gutted her. And my first thought is, "Wow, so, is this it!? Is the show going to be over? Are we done?" But if that's the way we had treated her and just packed up shop, then we wouldn't have had that incredible ending.

And now she's married to [Chris Siegfried] and they're happy and they have this amazing life. And so, I think just experience and what I've gone through over the last 15 years allowed me to -- even in a situation like this -- keep an open mind, keep an open heart and just still do, essentially, and I know it sounds clinical, but do your job.

You just still be there for Ben and facilitate both relationships as well as I could do it -- and same thing for producers -- and let Ben take us where he wants to go, and the women. Obviously it's not a one-way street. And I don't know if that really answers your question, but that is a deeper answer than you probably understand of our job.

We've learned to just keep going and things will kind of reveal themselves and take care of themselves. Because ultimately, it's Ben's choice. He has to decide what he wants to do, and these women will respond and then, in turn, they'll make their own decisions. And so, our job is to keep it steady, stay the course, and allow this to unfold.

And yeah, you would think a week to two weeks out would be pretty earth-shattering and it would change everything and we would do a 180 and start changing the show, but you don't do that. You actually keep doing what you're doing more so. It's important that you keep that consistency for Ben and for the girls so that it does work.

Reality TV World: Ben wrote in his blog that the girl he eliminates after the overnight dates didn't take it well and he teased "what happens in the Fantasy Suites may NOT STAY in the Fantasy Suites." Should viewers expect there's going to be some type of discussion that takes place after the Fantasy Suites?

Chris Harrison: Well, I will say this: Ben's very open. He's a man of faith and he, you know, talks about that a lot. But at the same time, what I like about him is it's sincere. He doesn't hide behind anything. He's been very open about his emotions and about his actions, maybe a little bit like [Kaitlyn Bristowe] in that respect. He has really owned what he's done and what he will do. And I really respect that.

So yeah, I think you've seen a lot more behind the curtains with Ben, which is why again, I think people really like him. You know, when people are so nice and so perfect, it makes you think, "Wait, are they really this good or do they always just say and do the right thing?" It kind of rings insincere sometimes.

But I think with Ben, you see that he makes mistakes or you see that he is frail and has insecurities -- just like the rest of us, just like normal human beings do. And so I think that is what endears us so much to him.

Reality TV World: Ben took a lot of heat for sending Amanda Stanton home after her hometown date. He insisted her two little girls had nothing to do with it and he truly was ready to step into that father-figure role. What's your reaction to that? Because even Amanda's dad said Ben looked like a deer in headlights around the kids. So did you buy Ben's explanation?

Chris Harrison: Well, first of all, I think there are two different questions in there. First of all, of course Ben is going to be a deer in headlights meeting a family and meeting kids and doing all of that for the first time. That's a huge thing, but it's something he took very personal and very serious, and it's something he's not used to.

I don't know if he's ever dated anybody with children before, and I don't know his experience with children and all that. So that was an impactful thing; That's a huge deal. So, yeah, that was a big date for him and I'm sure it was emotionally taxing to not just -- you have to understand, the hometown dates are crazy! That is a difficult, difficult place to be in, of going in to meet someone's family.

I'm sure [you've] dated before and have gotten to the point where you meet your signficant person's family, that's a big day. Multiply that times four! (Laughs) That's what you're going through. And so, that's an emotional rollercoaster, and on top of that, you're meeting this wonderful woman whom you care about deeply's children. So that's a lot.

Now did that impact his decision? What I think impacted his decision is the next step is -- and I don't mean this in a sexual or physical way, because I know that's where everybody would love to go -- a very intimate step. It's a very intimate space, going on the overnight dates. And again, don't just think of the physicality of it; Think of the emotional step you're taking.

I think he just really pushed himself to decide, "Do I want to take this woman who I care about deeply and her children to this next step when I'm not fully into it and prepared to do so?"

And so, I really respect the fact he wanted to meet her children and her family and then made a very difficult decision. So, I think it was the right... Look, ultimately, this is his journey. So it's not for me to say it's right or wrong, but in my opinion, I think he handled it very well.

Check back with Reality TV World soon for more from Chris Harrison's interview.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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