Let's Unpack Taylor Frankie Paul's 'Bachelorette' Casting

Taylor Frankie Paul's season of 'The Bachelorette' was canceled by ABC on March 19, 2026. A version of this article was originally published on September 10, 2025.

Taylor Frankie Paul is the next lead of The Bachelorette, and the internet has a lot of thoughts. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star revealed the news on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast on September 10, sending the reality TV community into a tailspin. The announcement marks the first time a non-Bachelor nation star will lead the franchise. It's a notable shift for ABC's longstanding reality dating series, which has been on the air for over 20 years. Not only did they revive the franchise with the introduction of The Golden Bachelor in 2023, just this summer they modernized its spinoff Bachelor in Paradise to have more of a game show feel à la Love Island or Perfect Match too.

The surprise casting announcement further proves that the Mormon Wives stars are taking over pop culture. Not only will Paul step into the Bachelor world, her co-stars Whitney Leavitt and Jennifer Affleck are set to appear on the latest season of Dancing With the Stars too. After SLOMW premiered on Hulu in 2024, it amassed a spirited cult following—one that will no doubt follow Paul's venture from Salt Lake City to the Bachelor Mansion in Los Angeles. We break down everything we know about Taylor Frankie Paul's Bachelorette announcement here, including what she hopes to find in a suitor and when it'll premiere.

• The next Bachelorette is Taylor Frankie Paul, a Mormon influencer.
• Taylor Frankie Paul rose to fame on the Hulu series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which documents the lives of progressive Mormon women living in Salt Lake City, Utah.
• While a premiere date for Taylor Frankie Paul's Bachelorette season has not yet been set, ABC confirmed it will air in 2026.

In this article:

• Who is the New Bachelorette, Taylor Frankie Paul?
• What Taylor Frankie Paul Has Said About Becoming The Bachelorette
• How to Watch Taylor Frankie Paul's Season of The Bachelorette

Who is the New Bachelorette, Taylor Frankie Paul?

Photo: Disney | Michael Kirchoff

The new Bachelorette is Taylor Frankie Paul. The Mormon influencer rose to internet fame following a "soft-swinging" scandal that took TikTok by storm. The aftermath of her online stardom was chronicled on the Hulu series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

What Taylor Frankie Paul Has Said About Becoming The Bachelorette

Taylor Frankie Paul confirmed she'll be the next Bachelorette on the September 10 episode of Call Her Daddy. When discussing the news, Paul told host Alex Cooper that she was initially concerned about juggling parenthood with the show's filming schedule. "For me, I'm like, is this possible for me to do as a single mom? Can I make it work realistically, no matter how much I want this? And, you know, what I was like, I can," she said. "If I want to, I can. You can do anything you want, if you want. It comes down to that. So I was like, I will make it work." Read on for more revelations shared on the podcast announcement.

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As a single mom of three kids, Paul's life is rooted in Salt Lake City. As such, one of her non-negotiables is that her Bachelorette suitors must be willing to move to her home state. One thing she is willing to compromise on, though, is religion. While Paul told Cooper she thinks it's essential that her significant other "believes in God," she said, "I'm open to any religion." When Cooper clarified if it's okay that her final pick isn't Mormon, she coyly replied, "Preferably not," before adding, "I'm Mormon, but he doesn't have to be."

How does the rest of #MomTok feel about Taylor Frankie Paul becoming the next Bachelorette, you ask? For now, they're all on board. (Of course, given the group's unpredictable dynamic, time will tell if any change their mind on Paul's latest gig.) "I think most of them are going to be happy for me and support me," Paul said. "I can't speak for everyone and what they actually truly think, you never really know. But I think we're all kind of doing our own thing so everyone is getting their own shots, it's not just about her her her."

How to Watch Taylor Frankie Paul's Season of The Bachelorette

While there isn't a set date for the premiere of Taylor Frankie Paul's Bachelorette season yet, the reality series traditionally airs Monday nights on ABC and is available to stream on Hulu the next day. For now, all we know is that Paul's season will air in 2026.