Emily Maynard is Not the Next 'Bachelorette' (Yet)

It seems as though the rumors of Emily Maynard's continuing reality TV stardom may have been premature. 'The Bachelor(ette)' host Chris Harrison has shot down reports that the newly single Maynard is in the running to be the next 'Bachelorette.'

Harrison told 'Access Hollywood' that "Rumors of Emily being the 'Bachelorette' are greatly exaggerated. It is way too early, way too presumptuous of anybody to say she's 'The Bachelorette'."

He added that, "As far as TV goes, we don't go into production on 'The Bachelorette' for six more months. We would never pigeonhole ourselves ... this early."

'Us Weekly' previously reported that Maynard was hoping to use the publicity from her recent split from 'Bachelor' Brad Womack to segue into a continuing role on the ABC matchmaking franchise. However, Harrison says it's still too soon to think about the single mom looking for love again on national television.

"It's obviously been bantered about. We're not idiots, we talked about it, of course, but it hadn't even been broached to her. It is way too soon," he said. "They've barely even broken up."

In an interview aired Monday night Maynard said that commitment issues were the deal-breakers in her relationship with Womack, and Harrison thinks this could lead to a shakeup of the format for the next season of 'The Bachelorette' (even if Maynard really isn't Ashley Hebert's successort on the show).

He'd be interested in casting potential suitors who really want to be her man. "If she is our 'Bachelorette' -- that decision hasn't been made -- I would love to really announce it early on and really cast for her," he said. "I think it would be a dynamic show and to see the guys that would really step forward, because you know, you're stepping in as the dad."

So, is Harrison bluffing when he says no decison has been made? Is he perhaps denying the Maynard rumors a little too much? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for updates.

'The Bachelorette' airs Monday, 8PM ET on ABC.