The Bachelorette alum Rachel Lindsay has announced she's leaving the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast that she co-hosts with Becca Kufrin for her mental and emotional health and well-being.
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"I'm going to make this short and sweet: All good things must come to an end and I feel like certain things run their course and for me I have run my course when it comes to the podcast," Rachel began.
"You know we started off this podcast talking about how much fun it is, and it is, and the community that we've started and we're already here with 100 episodes and I'm proud of it and what it's become."
The podcast started out with Rachel and former The Bachelorette star Ali Fedotowsky serving as co-hosts. Rachel admitted she hasn't given the "fantastic" Ali "enough praise" since her departure.
Rachel bragged about how Becca "didn't miss a beat" once she took over for Ali on the podcast and has been a "joy" to work with.
"It's been a lot of fun to see our friendship grow through the podcast, just to have fun with all the new blood that's coming in from the show to work through hard moments, to come here and vent when we're going through something -- like, that's what the podcast gives you, that community," Rachel continued.
"But for me, I've been struggling, that's no secret. And it's been really, really hard for me lately, and a lot of the things that we talk about on this podcast are also about taking care of yourself and finding your peace and protecting that peace and protecting your mental health."
Rachel has been at the center of The Bachelor franchise's racism controversy.
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In February, Rachel, reporting for Extra, conducted an interview with longtime host Chris Harrison in which he defended The Bachelor Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell's racially-ignorant and racially-insensitive actions in the last several years.
Chris came under fire for asking for "grace" and "compassion" for Rachael -- who posed for photos at an antebellum-themed "Old South" fraternity party at her Georgia college in 2018, for example -- and criticizing the "woke police" and "unbelievably alarming" response to Matt James' eventual winner's history of racist behavior.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWChris apologized multiple times for his interview comments amid backlash, and he ultimately chose to step aside from his The Bachelor hosting duties to educate himself on racism in society on a "profound" level.
Members of Bachelor Nation rallied and petitioned for Chris to be fired from his position permanently, and Rachel said Chris had made "the right decision."
Many fans who remained loyal and supportive of Chris blamed Rachel for Chris' leave of absence, and online bullying and harassment resulted in Rachel deleting her Instagram account and taking a break from the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast.
"And so for me, I just feel like I've come to the end of doing the podcast and I'm glad that I'm leaving on a high note where it's the 100th episode, it's such a big milestone," Rachel noted.
"This is the first podcast I've ever done and for me, it's just stepping away. You should never say 'never.' I'm definitely closing the door but I'm not locking it and throwing away the key. It's just I have to, for me, walk away."
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Rachel said she believes leaving the podcast with Becca means it's "in amazing hands."
"For you [Becca], I just feel like this is at a place where I can walk away and I know it's all good and I know it's going to be great, and you've allowed me to have the space to step away when I needed to," Rachel shared.
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Rachel reiterated how it's "just time" for her to go and "move on" and she'll be supporting Becca and the Bachelor Happy Hour listeners and community "from a distance."
"I just want to say thank you guys for riding with me for such a long time. Continue to ride with Becca -- support her and uplift her, and this podcast as well," Rachel concluded.
The milestone 100th episode of Bachelor Happy Hour will mark Rachel's last appearance on the podcast and, according to People, a new co-host will be announced at a later date.
Becca told Rachel, "I'm going to save a lot of my sentiments for next week because you're not done with me yet. I've still got you for one more episode, but I absolutely love you. I'm in awe of you. I'm inspired by you -- your loyalty, your friendship, your charisma, all of the things."
"You've brought so much to this, not only to the podcast, but to our friendship. And so I know you say you're not going to lock the door and I hope you don't."
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"I always will welcome you back with open arms," Becca continued.
"It's not going to be the same without you and you know, selfishly, I don't want you to leave, but I totally understand for your mental health, for your sanity... and your head and your heart."
Becca promised to always be Rachel's "biggest supporter" and someone she can depend on going forward.
"I'm going to miss you too," Rachel replied. "I'm not going to throw away the key, but I'm sure as hell going to lose it for a while. I need a change of scenery!"
Ever since Chris' racism scandal made headlines, Rachel suggested on multiple occasions she's "had enough" with the franchise and its lack of diversity over the years and lack of change.
"I can't take it anymore," Rachel recently said on her other podcast, Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay, according to People.
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When co-host Lathan asked where the current controversy puts her within the franchise, Lindsay acknowledged that while her experience with the show benefited her in ways — notably, it introduced her to now-husband Bryan Abasolo — she has "had enough."
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While Rachel met her husband Bryan Abasolo on The Bachelorette's thirteenth season and is thankful for that, she reportedly told Van Lathan that she's "f-cking tired" and "exhausted."
"I have truly had enough. My entire reason for doing The Bachelorette -- and I was lucky it worked out for me in the most beautiful way, in finding Bryan -- is that I wanted to be a representative as a Black woman to this audience," Rachel said.
"And I wanted to pave the way for more people to have this opportunity. In some ways, that has happened. I wanted the franchise to be better. I have a love-hate relationship with it. I'm connected to it."
But Rachel has questioned whether she should remain affiliated with The Bachelor franchise during these challenging times.
Rachel was the first Black The Bachelorette star in 13 seasons, and Matt just starred as the first Black Bachelor in 25 seasons.
The Bachelorette's upcoming seventeenth season, which just reportedly wrapped production on Monday, will be co-hosted by Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams when it premieres Monday, June 7 on ABC.
It's unclear when or if Chris will resume his position and lead the show again, but he revealed on a March episode of Good Morning America he plans to be back.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
