Bachelor Host Chris Harrison Says Virginity Storyline “Doesn’t Define” Colton Underwood

Bachelor star Colton Underwood’s virginity has been the talk of the town the past few months, but host Chris Harrison is looking to move past the jokes this season.

While the first episode is sure to be chock full of virgin cliches, Chris is excited about getting into the meat of the season.

“There are plenty of cliches on night one as all the women arrive. He and I talk about it and then, of course, when the women get there, they make light of it,” Chris told The Hollywood Reporter.

“And the good thing is that he has a great sense of humor about it and it was pretty funny. It’s been cute and it’s been fun to have it as a bit of a party joke, but I am very much looking forward to getting past that.”

He continued, “When I hear things on social media where people say — ‘It’s going to drive me crazy if they beat this to death’ — well, we don’t.”

Though Colton’s virginity is part of his overall story, it’s not the only thing they focus on.

“It is a storyline but it’s one of many. It doesn’t define Colton. It’s not, ‘Hey, Colton virgin.’ This is Colton the Bachelor who is a good man, who is sincere and looking for the love of his life,” he said.

“And yes, he turns out to be a virgin and that is something that we have to deal with.”

He continued, “We have some serious talks on the first night where I ask him if he is as sick and tired of this thing being such a cocktail joke and superficial, and he was just as sick of it as I was. It was liberating to get past that and to start getting into the show.”

Though his virginity gets brought back up again during the Fantasy Suites, the conversations are much more emotional.

“There was nothing different about Fantasy Suites. There are conversations that clearly need to be had once you get to that point and maybe Colton’s conversations are a little deeper because of the situation,” Chris explained.

“But these conversations always happen. It’s always a moral dilemma once you get to that point in the relationship on the show.”

He continued, “And that’s one of the reasons I love the Fantasy Suite date card. Because it does push that envelope and that conversation you need to have.”

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