ABC names Taylor Frankie Paul next Bachelorette, outsider lead

ABC has tapped TikTok star and Hulu personality Taylor Frankie Paul to be the next Bachelorette, the network announced Wednesday, naming the 31‑year‑old Utah native as the lead for a season expected to air in 2026. The choice breaks with longrunning franchise practice of selecting a lead from within Bachelor Nation, and it immediately drew a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism from fans and TV commentators.

Paul rose to prominence as a founder of the MomTok community and became a breakout figure on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, a series that chronicled her life and relationships. In a wide‑ranging interview with Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Paul said she was ready to put herself first and to try again for love. ABC described her as a candid storyteller who will bring “humor, resilience and a fearless openness” to the franchise.

The casting has prompted debate over whether the franchise will benefit from an outsider lead with an already public, complicated past. On Friday’s episode of The View, panelist Joy Behar joked about Paul’s parenting and romantic history, while Alyssa Farah Griffin called herself conflicted about the choice but said Paul’s...