The Bachelor host Chris Harrison apparently had a gut feeling from Day 1 that the show's eighteenth season may not turn out the way most viewers or production would hope because of the show's star Juan Pablo Galavis.

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"From the beginning something just didn't seem right and something didn't fit. We can debate over what that is, but the truth is that it is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is this was a struggle for Juan Pablo and it was a struggle almost all the way through," Harrison wrote in his Entertainment Weekly blog.

"I, along with all of our producers, tried as hard as we could to figure this out and make it easier on him, and I know he tried to find those answers himself. At times, he did seem to let his guard down and enjoy and embrace the process, but overall it was a struggle."

Harrison explained what a Bachelor or Bachelorette needs to do in order to have a good experience starring on the show.

"You have to give yourself to this process or it just won't work," the franchise's host explained.

"You have to come in with sincere intentions and then trust and give yourself to this process, or not only will it not work, it will be a constant battle and struggle until the end. I truly believe Juan Pablo came into this season with those true intentions. I also know that when we chose him we truly believed he had the qualities that would make him a great Bachelor."

However, the audience seemed to either hate Galavis or defend him to the core by the end of the season.

"This has easily been the most polarizing season we've ever had. I know this because I've gotten tons of messages about how much people love Juan Pablo and how displeased they are. I've received many messages about how much I've defended Juan Pablo and how much I've buried him," Harrison wrote.

"It's never been my intention to defend or bury Juan Pablo. That's not my job. My job all along was to help him try to find his way. It's a bit like being a parent, and sometimes being a parent means tough love. Sometimes you are proud and impressed by your children, but sometimes you are sad and disappointed in them. I felt all these emotions this season with Juan Pablo."

Harrison said he tried to coax The Bachelor star into expressing his emotions for the show's winner Nikki Ferrell during After the Final Rose only because he didn't understand why Galavis wouldn't want to.

"[It] was just a bit odd. I know it was orchestrated by him to not say how he feels about Nikki. The only thing I can't figure out is why? It was a rough ride for Juan Pablo this season, but the good news is -- it worked! He found a great woman in Nikki and they are in love and happy," Harrison explained.

"So of all things to hide, I'm not sure why they chose that. I'm not sure what the endgame or goal was in not speaking about his feelings... I'm not sure when or where along the way Juan Pablo decided to fight this whole process, but he certainly did."

Continued the host, "It wasn't about getting Juan Pablo to say he loved Nikki. It was about getting him to really say anything of substance about a woman who had professed her love for him and had hoped for a proposal from him. I knew our audience wasn't going to take his behavior well, but I thought if we could at least show that in the end he's happy and in love and I could get him to show some real emotion or feelings, it might help."

But Harrison's attempts to open up Galavis live on television clearly failed.

"But that was just not to be with Juan Pablo and Nikki. When it was over, the two of them got up and walked off stage in complete silence. There was no cheering, no booing, just confused silence as to what just happened... I was very sorry to see it end like that because it didn't have to. That was a choice made entirely by Juan Pablo," Harrison said.

"I'm not mad about how the season ended nor am I angry with Juan Pablo... I wish he and Nikki well. I truly hope Juan Pablo especially can find peace somewhere in his life. I hope he will see that there are many people around him who love him and are trying to help him, but in the end he must make the choice to listen and let them in."


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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