Entertainment

Chris Harrison Admitted He Thought Peter & Madi's 'Bachelor' Breakup Was Inevitable

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No one may have been able to predict exactly how Peter Weber's season of The Bachelor would end, but when it comes to Peter and Madison's relationship post-show, there was one person who was able to read the writing on the wall. During an Instagram Live chat with Entertainment Tonight's Lauren Zima on Tuesday, March 17, as per People, Chris Harrison admitted Peter and Madison's split wasn't surprising to him, especially given the awkward exchanges that took place during After the Final Rose. The duo seemed to want to try and make their relationship work while on-camera, but announced they had decided to part ways two days later in separate Instagram posts.

“So many people have been asking me if I was surprised by Madison and Peter’s breakup — no!” Zima remarked in the Instagram Live video, before turning to Harrison for his thoughts on the matter and asking if he was surprised to see their breakup happen so fast. “No. I mean, I think there were so many obstacles,” Harrison replied. “They had a lot of obstacles to overcome."

One such obstacle came in the form of Peter's mother, Barb, who was notably hostile toward Madison on ATFR and made it clear she didn't support their relationship in any way.

It made for some very awkward interactions on-set and was something Harrison wished had never happened. “I felt terrible about that, I really did. I felt guilty, because I felt like I was a part of that, and it was a terrible feeling," he added. The host continued, saying that the breakup, while sad, was probably for the best. "In the best of circumstances, with what happened with the family, that was just way too much for anybody to handle. So understandably, and probably the best thing to just go their separate ways, to be honest.”

But while Harrison may attribute family dynamics as the main cause of why Peter and Madison are no longer together, the pilot himself has previously come to his mother's defense, insisting that she played no role in their decision to break up. "No. This is stuff between Madi and I, solely, 100 percent," Peter explained in a paparazzi video obtained by Entertainment Tonight. "And people will have their opinions but this is just between the two of us, and it's just a mutual respect and love. That's all."

Whatever the reason behind the split is, Harrison remained true to his word and delivered the most dramatic season in Bachelor history — for better or for worse.