Former ‘The Bachelor’ Host Chris Harrison’s New Dating Show Is In Hot Water

There is a new dating show headed to television, but it’s already ruffling feathers before it even begins! Chris Harrison’s new dating show, The Vow, is set to premiere Nov. 11 on Fox Nation.

However, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Television has sent fox Media a cease-and-desist over the dating show. The letter reportedly accuses Fox Nation's new dating series of infringing on Warner Bros.’ intellectual property associated with The Bachelor.

If you're a fan of The Bachelor, you know why this is a spicy one. Chris Harrison was the beloved and longtime host of The Bachelor franchise, and left in 2021 after 19 years on the show.

As an avid franchise watcher, personally, I don’t think the show has ever been the same since he left. Therefore, when I heard he was leading The Vow, I can’t wait to watch.

Here is everything you need to know about the current Fox News Media and Warner Bros Television clash.

What is The Vow about?

The show follows 30-year-old Jace Cates, who dates 10 women looking for a relationship that could ultimately lead to marriage. The show will consist of six episodes, relying heavily on the foundations of family, faith, communication, and long-term goals to build the base of the relationships.

Unlike a typical dating show focused primarily on chemistry, Fox Nation has positioned The Vow as a series about finding a lasting relationship. The first two episodes are scheduled to premiere Nov. 11 with new episodes released weekly through Dec. 9.

“I believe we’ve created the most authentic dating show on television today,” Harrison shared in the show’s press release. “Can genuine, lasting love still be found in the modern world?”

Why is Warner Bros. objecting?

The similarities between The Vow and The Bachelor are difficult to overlook, particularly because Harrison spent nearly two decades as the face of The Bachelor franchise.

The Vow follows one eligible bachelor as he dates multiple women with the goal of finding a lasting relationship and potentially getting married, a premise that bears obvious similarities to the format Harrison helped make famous.

Per the Hollywood reporter, The Vow’s promotion bears similar graphics to The Bachelor, such as rose petals falling, Jace standing in front of a mansion, and standing in a tux. They say their issue isn’t the premise of the show itself, but the way it looks very familiar to The Bachelor.

“Taken together, the above represents a plain attempt to capitalize on and ‘ride on the coattails’ of WB’s instantly recognizable intellectual property and the Franchise’s goodwill in violation of, inter alia, state and federal trademark, copyright, and unfair competition laws,” the legal letter states. “Without having seen the Series itself, we cannot comment on it and reserve all rights in connection therewith. To be clear, though, we have no objection to Fox and Lionsgate releasing a dating show hosted by Chris Harrison in and of itself. But thus far, Fox and Lionsgate have promoted the Series entirely on the back of the Franchise, not on its own merits.”

What is Fox Nation saying?

Fox Nation is clear that they feel like the letter was meant to hurt Harrison.

“While FOX Nation respects the intellectual property rights of others, you wrongly assume that Warner Bros. holds any rights whatsoever in a falling roses motif or in the words ‘The Bachelor’ when used colloquially to describe a single man,” the response states. “Your letter also focuses myopically on certain stills from the trailer, while omitting that its clear purpose is to convey that The Vow ‘offers a different approach’ from other dating shows “by placing the focus on meaningful relationships, commitment and building a life together.’ Your letter appears designed not to vindicate legitimate copyright and trademark interests, but to restrict FOX Nation and Chris Harrison from promoting a competing dating show. It is unfortunate that Warner Bros. is targeting Mr. Harrison in this malicious and vindictive manner.”

As the story develops, we will keep you posted.