Ousted 'Bachelor' Host Chris Harrison Engaged to Girlfriend Lauren Zima

10/25/2021 03:06 pm EDT

Former Bachelor host Chris Harrison shared some positive news about his personal life on Monday. As Us Weekly noted, Harrison revealed that he and his longtime girlfriend, Entertainment Tonight's Lauren Zima, were engaged. Harrison and Zima first began dating in August 2018. 

Harrison and Zima announced the news on Instagram. As of right now, the only post on Harrison's account features photos from the pair's engagement. In the snaps, the former host can be seen getting down on one knee to propose to Zima. The other photos showcase the happy couple gazing down at Zima's new bling and sharing a toast to their impending nuptials. Harrison captioned the post with, "I love you @laurenzima The next chapter starts now!"

Like Harrison, Zima also shared the exciting news on Instagram. She re-posted the same photos from her future husband and wrote a lovely caption about their relationship to boot. In her caption, the journalist opened up about just how strong the pair's bond really is. "We tell each other this all the time, and we said it again in an unforgettably beautiful moment this weekend: I didn't know love could be like this," Zima wrote. "You are the most incredible partner. Thank you for loving me, championing me and asking me to marry you. Here's to the next amazing chapter, and all the rest."

The couple's engagement news comes amid an interesting year for Harrison when it comes to his career. Earlier this year, during Matt James' season of The Bachelor, Harrison engaged in an interview with former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay for Extra. In the interview, the host downplayed the racism allegations against contestant Rachael Kirkconnell and took aim at the "woke police." He later issued an apology for his statements and shared that he would be taking a step back from the franchise, saying, in part, "By excusing historical racism, I defended it. I invoked the term 'woke police,' which is unacceptable. I am ashamed over how uninformed I was. I was so wrong." 

It was later determined that this step back would be a permanent move. In June, Harrison announced his official exit from the Bachelor franchise. He wrote on Instagram at the time, "I've had a truly incredible run as host of The Bachelor franchise and now I'm excited to start a new chapter. I'm so grateful to Bachelor Nation for all of the memories we've made together. While my two-decade journey is wrapping up, the friendships I've made will last a lifetime."

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