The battle brewing between producers of "The Bachelor" franchise and Chris Harrison's new dating show "The Vow" just took another dramatic turn, as USA TODAY has learned that Fox News Media will promote its new dating show on local ABC stations across the country.
"The Vow," which will premiere on streaming service Fox Nation Nov. 11, sees 10 contestants vie for the heart of Oregon mortgage loan officer Jace Cates. Harrison hosts the show; he also serves as an executive producer for the program alongside his wife, entertainment correspondent Lauren Zima.
In a promo for "The Vow" released on Oct. 22, viewers get a first official look at Cates, and may recognize another familiar face: Kylee Russell, a former "Bachelor" and "Bachelor in Paradise"
contestant.
USA TODAY has learned that as a part of a media buy, the promo is scheduled to air on several ABC stations across the country during the week that "The Vow" premieres.
The Fox Nation dating show marks a return to a show format that made Harrison famous: the TV personality hosted ABC's "The Bachelor" franchise and its spinoff shows from 2002-2021.
In September 2026, after "The Vow" released a promo that featured Harrison stepping over a rose and saying, "Roses fade, true love lasts forever," Warner Bros. TV sent a cease-and-desist letter to Fox News Media and Lionsgate. Ahassim Rashid, vice president of anti-piracy and brand protection at Warner Bros., called the new show a "direct copy" of "The Bachelor."
Fox News Media later responded, claiming that rose petals are a part of the romance genre and not tied to any specific show. Katherine Moran Meeks, Fox News Media's executive vice president and general counsel, also claimed in the letter that Warner Bros. were "targeting Mr. Harrison" in a "malicious and vindictive manner."
Chris Harrison speaks out after cease-and-desist letter
Harrison recently spoke with USA TODAY before the second "Vow" teaser or the media buy on ABC stations. The TV host says that the cease-and-desist letter from Warner Bros. TV feels "personal."
"I don't see them going after the 50, 60, 70 other relationship dating shows that have come on in the time that I was there or since I left," Harrison, 55, says. "There's been one show that they've gone after. Is that a coincidence? You be the judge."
USA TODAY has reached out to reps at Warner Bros. TV for comment.
Why did Chris Harrison leave 'The Bachelor'?
Though Harrison's name was synonymous with the "Bachelor" franchise for nearly 20 years, his exit was acrimonious.
During the show's 25th season, Harrison defended Rachael Kirkconnell, a "Bachelor" contestant who apologized for "liking" Confederate flag-related TikTok videos and attending an Antebellum-themed fraternity formal in 2018. At the time, Kirkconnell was competing for the final rose from Matt James, the first Black male lead in the show's history.
To complicate matters further, Harrison made his comments about Kirkconnell's actions during an interview on "Extra" with Rachel Lindsay, who in 2017 was the franchise's first Black Bachelorette.
Kirkconnell later apologized for her actions. She and James announced their split in January 2025, nearly four years after James handed her his final rose.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Harrison speaks out on 'The Vow' legal drama as Fox airs promos on ABC
