‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ Star Shocks Fans as the New Bachelorette

Taylor Frankie Paul, the Utah-based influencer and star of Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” has been announced as the next lead on Season 22 of ABC’s “The Bachelorette.” The network confirmed the news on September 10, following widespread speculation on social media, particularly on TikTok.

Paul, 31, gained fame in 2022 after going viral for sharing her experiences with “soft-swinging” alongside other Mormon couples.

Her life and social media presence inspired Hulu’s reality series “Mormon Wives,” which explores her and her friends’ personal challenges and has become a hit, now heading into its third season.

Speaking to On The Red Carpet at the season two premiere of her Hulu show in May, Paul shared how she has been managing the ups and downs of her life on camera. “An immense amount of therapy does help you get the tools to learn how to navigate the situation. One, living it and two having to watch it and live it again. I now have all the tools,” she said.

Paul, a single mother of three, has been open about her personal life, including her divorce from Tate Paul in 2022 and the public challenges in her relationship with Dakota Mortensen, father of her third child.

Through it all, she has remained candid and authentic on social media and in her reality series. “I’ve been unapologetically myself. I’m raw, I’m real and now I am ready for another shot at finding love,” Paul told On The Red Carpet.

“The Bachelorette” Season 22 is set to premiere in 2026 on ABC and will also stream on Hulu and Hulu via Disney+. Meanwhile, fans can continue following Paul’s story on Hulu with the third season of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” premiering on November 13.

The announcement also follows Disney’s ongoing strategy of cross-promoting talent across its platforms, as both ABC and Hulu are owned by the company. Paul’s selection as the new Bachelorette has already sparked conversations online, signaling a major shakeup for Bachelor Nation.

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