The Bachelorette's Chris Harrison: Ryan's Elimination Was a Big Hurdle for Emily

Ryan and Emily | Photo Credits: ABC

After enduring weeks of cocky comments, The Bachelorette's Emily finally let Ryan go — but not without him putting up a fight.

"It was a big hurdle for her to realize it wasn't right with Ryan," host Chris Harrison tells TVGuide.com. "She's very attracted to him, and a part of her wanted to say yes, but she has too many good guys here."

In our weekly chat, Harrison talks about Ryan's "weird" exit, why they allowed Emily an extra rose and how next week's episode handles Arie's past relationship with a producer. Plus: How is the new Bachelor Pad cast doing?

You're in the middle of shooting Bachelor Pad. How is it?
Chris Harrison:
The first moment when I welcome everyone to Bachelor Pad you look around the room and you're like, "Wow there's Ed, Reid, Jamie ... all I see are highlights from their season in my head." You always worry about the cast, but the formula works. You plug these people in and it's phenomenal. I also love that we have fans this season [because the big question is] how are they treated by the other contestants? Are they targeted? The guys may say beforehand that the newbies are out but when the cute girls walk in and then they see them and it's like, "Oh wait."

Were you embarrassed watching Chris' performance on the group date?
Harrison: Instead of the bravest we should've given the award to the most sadly pathetic. I don't think Emily understood the [meaning].

During the evening portion, Arie again proved that he's way ahead of the others.
Harrison: They're definitely on another level as far as the chemistry goes and the passion. He was like, "Oh look at the storefront window," and then he throws her against the wall and they start making out! You go from that to Doug who she literally has to put his hand around her. But you see her with some of the other guys like Sean and Jef and that's on another level too. This is where the season is about to get incredibly interesting because each date she goes on she thinks, "He's the one" and then she goes on another date. The fun and games are done, the window dressing is gone with Travis and Ryan, so from here on out it's guys she truly likes.

Are you surprised she axed Ryan this week?
Harrison:
It was such a weird elimination. Ryan being so confident and arrogant he almost convinced her like, "No, you're not letting me go." I think she realized, "Yes, I'm attracted to him, but this is not what I want to end up with anymore." It was a big hurdle for her to realize this is not right because she's very attracted to him and a part of her wanted to say yes, but she has too many good guys here. He went from the bad boy to the annoying boy and what really did it was the list of qualities he's looking for not including family. It really put her off.

How come you let her hand out an extra rose?
Harrison: Well, we were thrown for a loop that she sent both Travis and Ryan home. When she decided to clean house it was a little easier of a decision, and also when she came out she was so serious and her instincts are so good so it was easy for me to say OK.

Talk about next week's episode.
Harrison: Next week is the most romantic week, but also very intense. Emily does find out about the relationship Arie had with our producer and we deal with that. It's very straightforward, we show clips and raw footage, we just show viewers what we have and the conversation that took place. It was a decision of whether we sweep it under the rug and act like it didn't happen? We want to show people that yes there was something there, but it wasn't the biggest calamity in the history of the show.