March 2 (UPI) --
Bachelor producers are voicing their support for Rachel Lindsay amid online harassment toward the star.
Bachelor executive producers spoke out in a statement Monday after Lindsay, 35, experienced "hate" and "online bullying" following her interview with Bachelor host Chris Harrison in February.
Harrison stepped aside from the Bachelor franchise last month after "speaking in a way that perpetuates racism" in an interview with Lindsay on Extra. During the interview, Harrison defended Bachelor Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who later apologized for her "offensive and racist" past actions.
Lindsay, the first Black star of The Bachelorette, said on Extra in February that Harrison stepping away from the Bachelor franchise was the right decision. Lindsay deleted her Instagram account Friday after experiencing online abuse.
In their statement, the Bachelor producers condemned the harassment toward Lindsay.
"As Executive Producers of The Bachelor Franchise we would like to make it perfectly clear that any harassment directed towards Rachel Lindsay in the aftermath of her interview with Chris Harrison is completely inexcusable," producers said.
"Rachel has received an unimaginable amount of hate and has been subjected to severe online bullying, which, more often than not, has been rooted in racism," they added. "That is totally unacceptable. Rachel has been an incredible advocate for our cast, and we are grateful that she has worked tirelessly towards racial equity and inclusion."
Matt James, the first Black star of The Bachelor, addressed the situation with Harrison on Instagram last week. James said it was "devastating and heartbreaking" to learn of Harrison and Kirkconnell's actions.
In addition, Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise alum Taylor Nolan apologized in a video Sunday after her "highly problematic" past tweets resurfaced online. Nolan, who is biracial, said the tweets stemmed from self-hatred and internalized racism.
