When the Bachelor franchise announced that the newest Bachelorette would be Taylor Frankie Paul, longtime fans of the show had mixed reviews. Taylor, who is the star of the reality TV show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, isn't the typical girl next door like previous leads have been. Instead, she is a public figure who has had her life documented, is part of the "MomTok" community, and she was also involved in a swinging scandal. Taylor is also the mother of three children from a previous marriage and relationship.
HELLO! exclusively joined City Cruises Live for its Bachelor Party with former Bachelor host Chris Harrison, previous Bachelor Ben Higgins and Bachelorette (and Bachelor in Paradise) contestant Wells Adams. During an insightful Q&A, the cast members revealed their honest reaction towards Taylor being announced as the upcoming Bachelorette in 2026.
Wells stated that he was open to the idea and said: "As the guy who still works for Disney, I think it's gonna be a really good season. I do think if you look at what Paradise was this last season, it was a season of change and things need to change up. I think we rested on our laurels for too long. And so I like the direction of where Paradise is going, and I like the idea of bringing in a really big star to inject that show with a lot of star power. I'm interested to see the guys that come on the show. I think it's gonna be fun to watch." Ben interjected and comically commented: "I don't work for Disney, so I have nothing to lose," as fans erupted into laughter.
He continued: "I mean there are some things that we know about her past that we're like, 'Hey you're still deserving of love. I still want you to find love, but is this the best place to do it?' Is The Bachelorette really gonna fit this narrative and how do we make it make sense [that] you're authentically looking for your partner. We don't know that yet, so I don't have a judgement on that, but I think it's my question."
The former Bachelor started a conversation about what the major change means for the future of the franchise. He added: "So I'm intrigued at how they make this something successful and sustainable because at this point I don't know how you make it sustainable when you announce her as your Bachelorette, when for years you've had your relatable common human coming in with the pursuit of love and love only. Now you have a celebrity with a platform and a following. Coming in, I honestly think it could be a home run but it could also be a very, very bad season for the following here."
Chris neutrally said: "We'll see." Ben added: "I think it's a question though. 'Do you think it was a good move?' I mean, it's an exciting move." He brought his wife Jessica Clarke into the debate and added: "My wife is gonna watch it and she's never watched the show, [only] because she's intrigued to see the mess. But is it going to be something long term as Bachelor Nation fans that you support? I mean, I think that's a big question for the fan base."
Wells re-entered the debate and expressed that he questions the intentions of the upcoming contestants. He continued: "You know something that I think is interesting about it is, you guys say it, and we say it on the show a lot, and it's like, 'being there for the right reasons' and obviously, she has a huge platform because she has another television show. So then I wonder if it's going to be a thing amongst the guys. I don't know if this is gonna happen, but I could see it happening where guys are gonna be like, 'You're just here because you want to be on another reality TV show with her. You're not here for the right reasons.' I can see that being an issue already, and I think that'll be fun TV to watch."