Everything you need to know about Taylor Frankie Paul: The New Bachelorette
BY Maggie Foster ★ October 11th, 2025
Design by: Sophie Rottenberg
When ABC announced that the next bachelorette would be Taylor Frankie Paul, the internet lit up. Some fans were thrilled at the bold and unexpected choice, while others immediately began launching petitions, comment threads, and memes questioning the decision. At 31 years old, Paul is a seasoned influencer, a mother of three, and a woman whose public life has been marked by viral fame, messy breakups, and tabloid-worthy controversy.
So, why her? What does this say about where “The Bachelorette” is headed in its upcoming season?
Paul rose to prominence on TikTok as a creator part of MomTok, a niche influencer group she founded with Whitney Leavitt, Mayci Neeley, and Mikayla Matthews. Together, they crafted choreographed videos and playful snapshots of young motherhood in Salt Lake City, Utah.
But Paul soon became the face of MomTok for reasons far beyond lip-syncs. She was the first to admit that the picture-perfect Mormon mom lifestyle wasn’t so perfect after all. Paul’s candid revelations about her private life through her divorce, “soft swinging” within her social circle, and struggles with co-parenting, pushed her into tabloid territory.
And then, there’s the legal trouble. In Feb. 2023, Paul was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child. Some charges were later dropped or reduced, but the headlines cemented her image as one of the most polarizing figures in the influencer world.
“The Bachelorette” has been a staple of reality television since 2003, spinning off from “The Bachelor”. Each season follows a woman who chooses among roughly two dozen male contestants, eliminating them one by one until a final proposal.
Traditionally, the franchise draws its leads from within. Former contestants, often fan favorites, are given the crown. This continuity keeps viewers invested. They feel as if they’ve been on the journey with the lead, which fuels emotional buy-in for the season ahead.
This fall, ABC renewed the series for its 22nd season, scheduled to premiere next winter. Instead of choosing a familiar face from within the Bachelor Nation bubble, though, producers took a sharp turn with Paul. This decision was made public on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where she’s currently starring, and confirmed during an episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast with Alex Cooper.
One side sees Paul’s selection as a strategic gamble by ABC. Ratings for The Bachelor and The Bachelorette have slipped in recent years, and some critics accuse the shows of becoming formulaic. Others argue that Paul represents a refreshing break from the mold. In her, they see real-world relatability: a single mom, someone who has stumbled publicly and is still searching for love.
Whether Paul’s season becomes a trainwreck or a triumph, one thing is certain: ABC has changed the rules. Casting a polarizing influencer signals a pivot away from predictable formulas and toward risk-taking, a move that could either revive the series or kill it.
Edited by: Ava Robbins