It has been a wild year for Taylor Frankie Paul, and I’m not sure there’s an end to the drama in sight. Ever since her season of The Bachelorette was pulled from the 2026 TV schedule, the MomTok leader has been battling exes Dakota Mortensen and Tate Paul — the fathers of her three children — for custody. Naturally, It’s all been playing out in public, too, as TFP is perpetually online and known for being an open book. To that end, she posted recently about dealing with online haters.

And boy are there lots of haters. Taylor Frankie Paul is the very definition of a polarizing figure, as The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star has staunch defenders in her corner, as well as a litany of people condemning her every move. A recent Instagram Story showed her giving advice to a friend via text on how to deal with the judgment of others, writing:

Everybody knows the Internet can be a toxic place, and it’s easy for people to lash out in really hurtful ways. Lots of celebrities have reminded fans that they, too, are affected by what others say — Billie Eilish has lost sleep over hateful comments, Kylie Jenner lets them fuel her and Selena Gomez highly recommends social media breaks.

Taylor Frankie Paul, however, doesn’t see the criticism as all bad, as her text to her friend continued:

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star feels like the negative feedback is a necessary evil of success, and she went on to say that random people’s judgments or opinions about her aren’t her business. That hasn’t necessarily stopped Taylor Frankie Paul from clapping back at friends and strangers alike as she continues her custody battles.

A leaked video of the fight that ended in Taylor Frankie Paul’s 2023 arrest — which appeared to show her throwing chairs at Dakota Mortensen and accidentally injuring her daughter in the process — was what ultimately led ABC to hold off on airing her season of The Bachelorette. Since then, many fans have maintained hope that the show will air at some point, while others insist there are no plans to do so.

Not helping the matter is Taylor Frankie Paul’s ongoing drama with Dakota Mortensen and Tate Paul. While TFP has been slowly gaining her custody rights back of Ever (the toddler she shares with Mortensen), her ex-husband Tate filed for (and was denied) an emergency change to their custody agreement after she voluntarily entered rehab for a couple of days in June.

The most recent development saw Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services asking a court to find that Taylor Frankie Paul's kids are “abused, neglected or dependent” after a visit to her home. Paul has addressed a lot of what came out of that visit extensively on social media, and we’ll have to see what, if anything, comes from it.

One thing TFP can pretty much bank on is that she’ll continue to get love from her supporters and hate from her online critics. Hopefully she deals with it all in the healthiest way possible.

We may not be getting anything from The Bachelor franchise on the 2026 TV schedule, but that doesn’t mean we won’t see some of our favorite alumni on our screens. Joey Graziadei, who had an “unprecedented” ending to Season 28 of the dating show, will make his acting debut in a holiday rom-com later this year, and with many familiar faces celebrating the big news, I’d have to agree with the reaction from Graziadei’s bride-to-be Kelsey Anderson.

Roku announced Joey Graziadei will star opposite Jamie Chung in The Holiday Spark this Christmas. According to the movie’s logline, the Dancing with the Stars champ plays Dean, a perpetually single firefighter who enlists the help of a children’s book illustrator (Chung) to plan an epic holiday party for his firehouse. You can’t blame Kelsey Anderson for being fired up about the news, as she commented on his Instagram page:

I’d definitely have to agree with this assessment, but possibly for different reasons. Kelsey Anderson is undoubtedly excited to see doors in the entertainment industry opening for Joey Graziadei — not to mention she gets to see her fiancé dressed up like a firefighter.

Bachelor Nation fans will certainly enjoy seeing the former rose-distributor in uniform as well, but this news also feels like an early Christmas gift for a fandom that’s had a pretty rough year.

Kelsey Anderson wasn’t the only Bachelor veteran to weigh in on Joey Graziadei’s upcoming movie. Other comments included:

• Kathy Swarts: Congrats Joey👏
• Hakeem Moulton: I’m sat!
• Tyler Cameron: Going to crush!
• Tanner Courtad: CANT WAIT 🍿
• Kaity Biggar: So cool!!! Congrats Joey 👏!!!
• Ben Higgins: Bet you made it look easy!
• Zach Shallcross: That’s so awesome!! 🔥 congrats!!

Some fans made humorous comments about Kelsey Anderson having to watch her man kiss other women again — as was the case on The Bachelor — but hopefully she won’t feel as negatively about it as Candace Cameron Bure and Danica McKellar’s husbands.

In addition to those responses, the Dancing with the Stars crew came through with well-wishes for the Season 33 winner's role in The Holiday Spark, writing:

• Ilona Maher: Pumped for you!!
• Alfonso Ribeiro: Congrats brother.
• Stephen Nedoroscik: Woahhh congrats!!
• Daniella Karagach: LFG JOOOEYYYYY

Joey Graziadei seemed as pumped as the rest of us about the upcoming movie, saying in a statement:

There’s something funny about the fact that we watched Joey Graziadei fall in love in real life on The Bachelor, and now we’re going to see him act out a love story (albeit a very different one) on The Holiday Spark. Either way, I’m taking this news as an early Christmas present.

Fans of The Bachelor franchise continue to wait for any official update on when the reality dating show might return (it seems unlikely we’ll get anything on the 2026 TV schedule, despite persistent hope that Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette season will air). In the meantime, however, we’ve gotten a different kind of update on fan-favorite Joe Amabile — better known as Grocery Store Joe — and Bachelor Nation is sending their love after he revealed he has what appears to be a brain tumor.

Joe Amabile looked a bit shaken as he took to Instagram to share the news of his impending brain surgery with Bachelor Nation. The caption that accompanied the video said doctors found a lesion they suspect to be an “early stage brain tumor,” and while he debated whether or not to share this publicly, he said, “ultimately this is now part of my life.” Check out his message below:

So many Bachelor Nation alumni showed up in the comments section to offer love and support for Grocery Store Joe, including his wife, Serena Pitt. Reactions included:

• Serena Pitt: You’re so strong and we’re going to get through this together ❤️ I love you
• Jesse Palmer: Sending you love and support Joe ❤️
• Wells Adams: Love you brother. You got this and we’ve got you! 🙏🏼❤️
• Charity Lawson: sending you so much love! praying for healing and strength ❤️
• Kaitlyn Bristowe: ❤️❤️❤️ prayers all the way up. We’re here for you!!!!
• Thomas Jacobs: If there’s one thing the Grocer knows, it’s produce. This little blueberry doesn’t stand a chance!

In his video, Grocery Store Joe says the lesion they discovered in his brain is about the size of a blueberry. Doctors think it’s a glioma, and he’s scheduled to have surgery in a couple of weeks to have it removed and get it tested. Joe Amabile said:

His fellow reality dating alums are all definitely hoping for the best, as even more comments poured in, reading:

• Joey Graziadei: Sending all the love and support brother ❤️ can’t wait to play a round of golf when you’re all better ⛳️
• Abigail Erb: Praying for you and Serena ❤️❤️
• Maria Georgas: Sending love and prayers!
• Raven Gates: What!!! This is so shocking but so glad you did the scan 🙏 praying for you & Serena! Praying for an easy, quick recovery as well! You got this ❤️🙌

Joe Amabile first appeared on Becca Kufrin’s season of The Bachelorette, where he was sent home on Night 1. Fans fell in love with the grocery store owner anyway, leading to him appearing on two seasons of Bachelor in Paradise. That’s where he met his eventual wife, Serena Pitt from Matt James’ season of The Bachelor.

We're definitely joining with the rest of Bachelor Nation in wishing Grocery Store Joe and Serena Pitt the best on this unexpected journey.

Well, it's official, Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson are engaged...again. The pair, who got together during Season 28 of The Bachelor and have been together ever since, just announced that they've decided to tie the knot (even though they also did that at the end of Joey's season in 2024). However, now they've made the choice in their own time and on their own terms. So, naturally, Bachelor Nation (and the Dancing with the Stars fam) are celebrating the happy couple.

Ever since Joey's season ended, he and Kelsey have been Bachelor couple goals, seeing as they're one of the pairs from the show who are still together. Now, they've reaffirmed their commitment to each other, as they noted in a joint Instagram post:

Well, this is the sweetest thing ever. In the post, Graziadei explained that doing this again meant they were taking their first proposal and making it something "fully [their] own."

This comes a little over two years after we watched Kelsey and Joey get engaged on ABC or with a Hulu subscription. Over the years, they've stayed a favorite among Bachelor Nation, and that became abundantly clear after taking one look at the comments section on their post. Here are some of the wonderful messages left by those who have worked in the Bachelor franchise:

• SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP 🥹💍😭🌹 congrats you two!!!! -Bachelor Nation
• So so cute!! I love the green in that ring! -Ashley Iaconetti
• Awww congrats you guys!! -Serena Pitt
• Wait love this so much! Congrats guys! -Blake Horstmann
• Congrats again!! My favorite rom com 🥹🥹🖤 -Andrew Spencer
• I feel so lucky I got to see this from day 1 🥹🥹 -Lexi Young
• Pure -Zac Clark

However, Bachelor Nation wasn't the only group of reality stars congratulating the couple. Among the comments were also a handful of Dancing with the Stars regulars. This included Graziadei's partner Jenna Johnson, and more. Take a look:

• Sobbingggg!!! Sooo happy for you two 💞 -Jenna Johnson
• Congrats!! -Alan Bersten
• Yayyyyy love your love ❤️ -Julianne Hough
• Crying. Screaming. Love our 4th Maher sister!! -House of Maher
• Congratulations!!!!! -Pasha Pashkov

Remember, Joey won Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars (which you can stream with a Disney+ subscription) with Jenna Johnson. He then went on to host the Dancing with the Stars Podcast, which started during Season 34. So, seeing Jenna, more pros like Alan Bersten and Pasha Pashkov, and co-host Julianne Hough commenting is the sweetest thing. Really, it feels very fitting that his DWTS fam would show some love toward him and Kelsey alongside Bachelor Nation.

All around, this is such a sweet and joyful occasion for the beloved couple. Honestly, my heart is so happy knowing they got to have this lovely private engagement. I have to imagine going through The Bachelor is a fast and unique experience, and getting engaged at the end can feel like a lot. So, the fact that Joey and Kelsey took a few years to be a couple, and then got engaged again on their own time, is very thoughtful and sweet.

Now, when will the wedding bells ring? That's unclear. However, it is clear that these Bachelor stars (still) "cannot wait" to call each other husband and wife.

ABC’s decision to pause the release of Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette has been one of the biggest stories in reality TV this year. It’s been undeniably horrifying to watch — her toxic bond with Dakota Mortensen, her daughter having to relive the events of that 2023 video, the custody battle, restraining orders and questions about if The Bachelor franchise would (or should) survive this. What’s also undeniable, according to Demi Burnett, is that it’s been “absolute cinema.”

Bachelor Nation first met Demi Burnett on Colton Underwood’s season of The Bachelorette, before she joined Bachelor in Paradise Season 6 and became part of the franchise’s first on-air, same-sex relationship. She joined the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast to discuss the latest drama, and she wasn’t afraid to admit how entertaining the whole thing has been:

It’s definitely a complex situation. Anyone who watched The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4 (which aired earlier on the 2026 TV schedule and can be streamed with a Hulu subscription) saw how toxic Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen’s situation was. We knew about Paul’s history of domestic violence and her 2023 arrest.

Is it tragic? Yes. Is it fascinating? Absolutely. But is it surprising? No, and that’s what bothers Demi Burnett the most — taking The Bachelorette away from Taylor Frankie Paul at this point, after it was already filmed, seemingly only benefits one person. The Bachelor vet said on what she believed to be "so sick" regarding the controversy:

Watching The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, it did feel like Dakota Mortensen wanted to sabotage TFP’s Bachelorette season. They slept together multiple times in the weeks leading up to her doing the show (including the night before she left, which caused her to miss her flight), and he told her to save a rose for him at the end.

However, after she returned and there were more accusations of violence from both parties, a judge issued mutual protective orders in April, forbidding the former couple to be within 100 feet of each other for the next three years.

None of this should be entertaining, of course. But, ethical questions aside, Demi Burnett said if ABC decided to move forward with airing The Bachelorette Season 22, she’d definitely be tuning in:

Demi Burnett said not only did Taylor Frankie Paul and her cast put a lot of time and work into the season, but the whole crew deserves to have their work shown.

Bachelor Nation can always count on Burnett to tell it like it is. And, as for whether or not we should be watching all of this controversy play out, many of us have to admit (myself included) this train wreck has been one that’s hard to turn away from.

We finally know how ABC plans to move forward following Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette season being pulled from the 2026 TV schedule. However, when The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise return in 2027, it apparently won’t be business as usual. Bachelor Nation is allegedly making some changes in hopes of avoiding disasters — not just this most recent one involving the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, but from other seasons, too — and I’m very interested to see if and how this happens.

Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was shelved just days before its scheduled premiere, when video from a 2023 domestic incident was leaked that appeared to show her then-5-year-old daughter being injured when she threw a chair at her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. According to Naughty But Nice gossip columnist Rob Shuter, this was the tipping point that will now see producers rolling out dramatically tougher background checks. Per an insider:

Of course, producers can’t blame holes in their current background check system for what happened with Taylor Frankie Paul. Her 2023 arrest from the incident in the viral video was part of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 1 premiere, and Paul has spoken about it at length on various podcasts. Should we assume this “reset” will also include not casting leads with criminal backgrounds?

The application process to get on a Bachelor show is said to already be pretty extensive, but the insider says producers are going to be far more aggressive with social media investigations, also looking into past relationships, legal records and online behavior after seeing so many red flags slip through on recent seasons. The source said:

I follow Bachelor Nation news pretty extensively, and I can vouch for fans being quick to discover when contestants had restraining orders taken out against them by exes before appearing on a Bachelor show — including multiple contestants on the most recent seasons of The Bachelorette and The Golden Bachelorette, starring Jenn Tran and Joan Vassos, respectively.

There have also been abuse allegations and contestants with troubling social media histories. So why were fans able to find this but not The Bachelorette’s producers? However it happened, it seems ABC is now taking action after reportedly losing tens of millions of dollars by not airing Taylor Frankie Paul’s already-filmed season, the source said:

I’m honestly not sure if The Bachelor’s producers didn’t know about some of these contestants’ histories or — like in Taylor Frankie Paul’s case — they knew but decided to cast them anyway.

Either way, we in Bachelor Nation have heard promises from the franchise before — notably when the EPs admitted to “racism” within the franchise and pledged to do better at protecting their leads just three months before Jenn Tran’s disastrous Bachelorette finale aired. The insider acknowledged that fans will be looking for actions and not just words:

The Bachelor franchise obviously revolves around drama, but when it comes to putting potentially dangerous contestants into the mix, that is definitely not what fans of the show are looking for. Hopefully when the dating series returns next year, we’ll start to see evidence of these alleged changes.

It’s been five years since The Bachelor parted ways with host Chris Harrison in a nasty turn of events stemming from a racism scandal on Matt James’ season. Since then the dating franchise has continued — even expanded — with Jesse Palmer leading the charge, but for some fans and even former leads like Ben Higgins, there will apparently always be a shred of hope that Harrison will come back.

Ben Higgins was the star of The Bachelor Season 20 back in 2016, which he landed after appearing as a contestant on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season. That means his friendship with Chris Harrison dates back over a decade, so it’s really no surprise that Higgins had such a positive reaction when US Weekly asked if he’d like to see the OG host return to The Bachelor franchise. Higgins said:

Many Bachelor Nation fans feel the same, after seeing Chris Harrison as the sole host of all Bachelor products from 2002 to 2021. For Ben Higgins, what makes Harrison so special comes down to the way the host interacted with him and the other cast members when he was in the throes of dating multiple women. Higgins continued:

Chris Harrison has since opened up about the physical toll The Bachelor scandal took on him, saying he lost 20 pounds and couldn’t sleep or eat. Time appears to have healed some of those wounds, because as of last year Harrison said it feels “wonderful” to no longer be part of the ABC dating shows, and Ben Higgins admitted that getting him back would be no easy task:

I’m sure that’s true for many Bachelor Nation fans — but definitely not all of them. Not that it matters much anyway, because as the former Bachelor pointed out, Chris Harrison’s got a new gig in the works these days.

Chris Harrison announced in February that casting was underway for a new dating show for people looking for a “traditional marriage,” to air on Fox Nation. The Instagram announcement read:

The series is expected to premiere in 2027 — and with no Bachelor products planned for the 2026 TV schedule since Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was pulled, it’s much more likely that we’ll see Chris Harrison going up against his former dating franchise than rejoining it. But Ben Higgins can always hope.

It’s been over a month since ABC decided to pull Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette from the 2026 TV schedule after a 2023 video of a violent fight with her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen went viral in March, and the network has maintained radio silence since then. The lack of an update had me worried this might be the end of The Bachelor franchise, but now Disney’s unscripted TV boss has finally responded to the speculation.

The Bachelorette Season 22 was officially “paused” way back on March 19 — just three days before Taylor Frankie Paul’s premiere was set to air. That’s a long time to leave fans in reality TV purgatory, especially with all of the conjecture that this could be “the beginning of the end” of the franchise. Rob Mills, executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment at Walt Disney Television, firmly rejected that narrative, telling THR:

It sounds like ABC has chosen to hold off on a new season of The Bachelorette altogether and will focus on The Bachelor Season 30, which Rob Mills suggests will air early in 2027, with another season of Bachelor in Paradise also in the cards for next summer.

He went on to say that the different iterations will air “when we have the right people,” including more possible seasons of The Golden Bachelor.

There’s also a chance we’ll still see Taylor Frankie Paul’s season someday, as Rob Mills refused to rule that out, saying:

This news comes as The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is set to resume production — though without Dakota Mortensen or Taylor Frankie Paul (for now, at least). Filming of Season 5 was paused in March as new allegations of domestic violence came to light between the exes from a reported incident in February. A third incident was also under investigation from 2024.

Last week, the MomTok leader learned she would not face charges in the most recent incident due to a lack of evidence, and Utah’s statute of limitations prevented prosecutors from pursuing legal action for some “misdemeanor offenses” in the 2024 incident.

I’m still wary that The Bachelorette Season 22 will ever see the light of day, but anyone who was worried that the franchise as a whole was dead in the water should find some comfort in Rob Mills’ words — even if it means we’ve got a pretty long wait before any more roses get handed out.

If you want a peek into the events that led to this whole brouhaha, check out The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives with a Hulu subscription.

Things have been pretty tumultuous for Taylor Frankie Paul lately, with ABC pulling her season of The Bachelorette from the 2026 TV schedule after a viral video showed some of the events that led to her 2023 arrest. Paul’s other reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, was also affected when production of Season 5 was halted due to new claims of domestic violence between her and baby daddy Dakota Mortensen. Now, rumors suggest a third series under the Disney umbrella is being roped in.

Even as Taylor Frankie Paul learned she won’t be charged with domestic violence, Dancing with the Stars may still be scrambling, if a rumor submitted to the anonymous gossip site DeuxMoi is to be believed. The MomTok leader was allegedly going to appear on the upcoming Season 35. The message, shared by DeuxMoi’s Instagram reads:

There’s a lot to break down there, starting with the fact that Dancing with the Stars had allegedly planned on casting Taylor Frankie Paul for next season. This is totally believable, given DWTS’ history of featuring The Bachelor franchise leads, as well as two of TFP’s fellow The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives stars — Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck — appearing on Season 34.

According to the source, Tayshia Adams is being eyed to replace her, which seems like an interesting choice. Adams recently returned to the franchise for the first time in five years — attending The Bachelorette reunion ahead of Taylor Frankie Paul’s doomed season and serving as a judge on HGTV’s Bachelor Mansion Takeover.

She originally appeared on Colton Underwood’s season of The Bachelor in 2020, replaced Clare Crawley as the lead of The Bachelorette Season 16, and then co-hosted Seasons 17 and 18 with Kaitlyn Bristowe. We’ll have to see if she will, indeed, hit the dance floor.

As those details allegedly get worked out, the gossip item suggests Love Island stars and The Traitors favorites Rob Rausch and Maura Higgins will be announced as two of the celebs going on DWTS. That’s definitely possible, since we already know Mark Ballas has been working to get the snake-wrangler to join the show, and I can’t wait to see if he’d end up partnered with Emma Slater after her A+ reaction to his NSFW audiobook.

It’s wild to think that the Taylor Frankie Paul brouhaha has affected not just The Bachelor franchise, but The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and possibly Dancing with the Stars as well. You can check out all the drama that led up to Paul leaving to film The Bachelorette on Season 4 of Mormon Wives, which is streaming with a Hulu subscription.

Bachelor alum Ashley Iaconetti has officially entered a new realm of reality television as part of the cast of The Real Housewives of Rhode Island, but that definitely doesn’t mean she’s leaving the drama of Bachelor Nation behind. As her new show premiered on the 2026 TV schedule last week, Iaconetti shared some strong opinions on why Taylor Frankie Paul never should have been named lead of The Bachelorette.

Lots of Bachelor Nation vets have weighed in over the past couple of weeks, after video from Taylor Frankie Paul’s domestic violence arrest in 2023 went viral, prompting ABC to pull The Bachelorette Season 22 from their lineup. Ashley Iaconetti has talked at length about the topic on her Almost Famous podcast and told Variety the situation with Paul probably shouldn’t have even gotten as far as it did. She said:

The Bachelorette definitely took a risk when recruiting the star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (streaming with a Hulu subscription) to be its lead. While investigations into two more domestic violence incidents have since come to light between Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen — one from 2024 and one from February of this year — Paul’s 2023 arrest was well-known, with footage even being shown in the SLOMW premiere.

The video of Taylor Frankie Paul throwing metal chairs at her ex-boyfriend — one of which reportedly hit her then-5-year-old daughter — may be new, but as Ashley Iaconetti pointed out, Paul hadn’t shied away from talking about the incident in the past. The RHORI star said:

Even without the viral video, the events of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4, which showed Taylor Frankie Paul in the weeks leading up to filming The Bachelorette, did not depict a woman who was ready to find love and get engaged. Ashley Iaconetti continued:

In the SLOMW Season 4 finale, it was learned TFP and Dakota Mortensen slept together the night before she left for Los Angeles to film. Taylor Frankie Paul even addressed her “toxic” relationship in interviews leading up to the season, saying she saw The Bachelorette as her opportunity to escape an unhealthy cycle.

As the new Housewife suggested, that’s not a great place to start if you’re the Bachelorette, and one of several reasons she thinks Taylor Frankie Paul wasn’t the right choice even before that viral video.

It remains to be seen whether or not we ever see that already-filmed Bachelorette season — Ashley Iaconetti had a suggestion for how to release it — but either way, you can catch Iaconetti on her new show, with The Real Housewives of Rhode Island at 9 p.m. ET Sundays on Bravo and streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

The full scope of the fallout from Taylor Frankie Paul’s legal issues remains to be seen, after her season of The Bachelorette was pulled from the 2026 TV schedule. Paul’s “toxic relationship” with her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen is at the center of the disturbing viral video from Paul’s 2023 arrest and reports of two other domestic violence incidents since then. Knowing what we do now, it’s devastating to look back at what the MomTok leader said about her ex and why she agreed to lead The Bachelorette.

It’s unknown if we’ll ever see the already filmed episodes of The Bachelorette Season 22 or if this could spell “the beginning of the end” of ABC’s longtime dating franchise. The future of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — which prominently featured Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen’s drama — is seemingly at risk too. Now an interview from 2025 has resurfaced in which ET asked Paul why she went the reality dating show route to find love. She responded:

Taylor Frankie Paul talked a lot on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4 (which you can stream with a Hulu subscription) about the cycle she was in with Dakota Mortensen. In between the fighting, crying and trying to make each other jealous, they slept together at least twice in the weeks leading up to her filming The Bachelorette.

I’m no mental health expert, but I get the feeling she was trying to escape the situation, hoping that physical distance from her ex might help to break the cycle. She continued:

It sounds to me like she was running from unresolved issues between her and Dakota Mortensen, and — after watching all of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — it feels safe to say that she probably wasn’t in the best headspace to go on a show where you get engaged to someone in a matter of weeks.

It’s sad to hear her say her bond with her ex-boyfriend was something she didn’t feel she could “withdraw” from, especially given the son they share (she also has two children with her ex-husband Tate Paul). Taylor Frankie Paul has said the worst part of that 2023 video leaking has been its effect on her children.

Dakota Mortensen currently has custody of 2-year-old Ever after filing a temporary protective order against Taylor Frankie Paul in March following a reported February incident in which, according to TMZ, Paul allegedly choked and scratched Mortensen during two separate fights in the presence of their son. Paul has denied that she was the aggressor.

The two are scheduled to appear remotely for a hearing April 7 to discuss their custody arrangement and then again for another hearing April 30.

It’s only natural that people who go on reality TV open themselves up to the scrutiny and judgment of others, however that doesn’t justify the hateful comments being made about their appearances. Former Bachelorette Rachel Recchia is speaking out about the mean feedback she’s been getting after losing weight and getting some cosmetic procedures done, and she got emotional on a recent video as she pleaded with fans “to be kind.”

Rachel Recchia first entered the reality dating show world in 2022 as a contestant on Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor. Following the “Rose Ceremony From Hell,” Recchia and Gabby Windey became co-leads of The Bachelorette, then Recchia went on to join Perfect Match Season 3 (streaming with a Netflix subscription). By that time, a lot had happened with her health, and she’s been dealing with comments about how different she looks ever since. Lately, it’s “gotten really, really bad.” She said on TikTok:

I’m not sure why people would think comments like “You look sick,” or “You used to be more beautiful” are helpful in any way. We can do better than that.

Unlike some celebrities, Rachel Recchia doesn’t hide the fact that she’s had a little work done, and as she said, she mostly brushes off the speculation about her appearance. What people don’t realize, she said, is that her dramatic weight loss was caused by some pretty serious health issues. The Bachelor Nation star continued:

Rachel Recchia started to cry as she recalled people’s main reaction being to tell her how “big” she was on The Bachelorette compared to what she looked like on Perfect Match’s third season, which she said made it difficult to allow herself to gain any weight back. You can see her full video below:

Rachel Recchia ended the video by letting fans know that this is something she’s struggling with, and she implored social media users to “put a little more kindness into the world and on the Internet.” I couldn’t agree more.

You can catch Rachel Recchia on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, which she co-hosts with fellow former lead Charity Lawson, and while we know we won’t see Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette anytime soon, keep your eye on the 2026 TV schedule for news about Perfect Match Season 4 coming to Netflix.

Several Bachelor Nation alumni have weighed in on the future of ABC’s dating franchise following the decision to pull Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette from the 2026 TV schedule. A viral video showing some of the events leading up to the reality star’s 2023 arrest has led to questions about why she was cast as a lead in the first place, and a former Bachelor producer offered his opinion — including why this could be “the beginning of the end.”

Adam Mansfield was a producer on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette from 2012 to 2020, and he went on the After Reality with Courtney Robertson podcast to give his thoughts on the recent developments. Mansfield painted a realistic but somewhat cynical picture about the franchise’s future, saying:

It’s true that while Taylor Frankie Paul’s legal issues sparked the latest Bachelor Nation controversy, it’s far from the first over the past few years. Both The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise went on hiatus for a year. Toxic workplace accusations resulted in a complete overhaul of the crew. Jenn Tran’s Bachelorette finale was a disaster, and The Golden Bachelor lead Mel Owens made controversial age comments before his season even premiered.

Adam Mansfield suggested ABC’s big swing with Taylor Franki Paul was possibly an attempt to win back viewers and attract new ones, saying:

Taylor Frankie Paul’s 2023 domestic violence arrest was shown in the premiere episode of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (streaming with a Hulu subscription). The leaked video showed portions of the fight that led up to it, including the fact that Paul’s 5-year-old daughter could be heard crying after she reportedly was hit by one of the metal chairs her mom was throwing at then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen.

Another incident between the two reportedly took place in late February — after she’d filmed The Bachelorette — causing The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 5 to halt production. A third alleged assault has also apparently come to light, this one occurring in 2024. Adam Mansfield said:

The producer, whose work these days is mostly food show-related, thinks the decision to cast Taylor Frankie Paul as The Bachelorette was likely a response to the changing audience. He said past leads like Sean Lowe or Ben Higgins would be boring to today’s viewers, and Paul represents what people want to see. He said:

Former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay didn’t mince words in saying she thinks The Bachelor franchise is “completely destroyed,” because how would it move past this? Season 1 Bachelorette Trista Sutter also said she “felt like it could be the end.” Only time will tell if they — and Adam Mansfield — are correct.

So many questions continue to surround Bachelor Nation after ABC’s shocking decision to pull Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette from the 2026 TV schedule. Is this the end of the franchise? Will Season 22 ever see the light of day? Former Bachelor contestant Ashley Iaconetti shared her thoughts on the recent events, including an interesting idea for what could be done with those unaired episodes.

ABC announced March 19 — just three days before its scheduled premiere — that The Bachelorette Season 22 would not air “at this time,” after a video leaked from the night of Taylor Frankie Paul’s 2023 domestic violence arrest. Iaconetti — who has appeared on The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise and The Bachelor Winter Games — agrees that ABC made the right call in pulling the episode but told Page Six she thought it might work on another platform, saying:

I would be curious to see how dropping all of Taylor Frankie Paul’s episodes of The Bachelorette at once would work. That’s how Paul’s other franchise The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is released to those with a Hulu subscription, and it’s never been done with a Bachelor franchise show.

To me, it also feels slightly less exploitative to say, “Hey, these episodes are here if you want them,” rather than to spread Taylor Frankie Paul’s journey across 10 weeks in primetime. Ashley Iaconetti — one of the stars of the upcoming Real Housewives of Rhode Island — continued:

“Icky” is a great word for it, because while two other instances of alleged domestic abuse are now being investigated — one from 2024 and another from February of this year — ABC knew about the 2023 arrest and still went ahead with casting Taylor Frankie Paul as its lead.

It was the viral video that proved to be the breaking point, as it showed the MomTok leader throwing metal chairs at her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. Her now-8-year-old daughter could be heard crying in the background, as Mortensen said the girl had been hit. A police report and the child’s father, Taylor Frankie Paul’s ex-husband, Tate Paul, both described her as having a “goose egg” on her head.

As interesting as it might be to see how The Bachelorette would do if dropped in bingeable format, the fact that children are involved makes it an especially sensitive topic, and I agree with Ashley Iaconetti that the best option may be to not air it ever.

As for the state of Bachelor Nation, former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay didn’t mince words saying she doesn’t know how the franchise recovers from this. Also, even Trista Sutter said it “felt like it could be the end.”

You can see the events that led up to Taylor Frankie Paul's journey onThe Bachelorette by streaming The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4 on Hulu.

It’s been just over a week since the decision was made to cancel — or at least pause — Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette following the leak of a disturbing video from her 2023 domestic violence arrest. Lots of people are speaking out about if ABC made the right decision, if someone with a violent past should have been made the lead in the first place and what this could mean for The Bachelor franchise overall. Now the very first Bachelorette Trista Sutter has weighed in.

Trista Sutter, who led the first season of The Bachelorette in 2003 after finishing as the runner-up on The Bachelor Season 1, attended the iHeartRadio Music Awards, where PauseRewind asked about her reaction to news of Taylor Frankie Paul’s season being pulled from the 2026 TV schedule. Sutter said:

Trista Sutter chose not to call out any of those “mistakes” specifically, but I’m a little surprised at how candid she was about feeling like this could be the end of The Bachelor franchise. She’s not the only alumna from the show to say as much, as Season 13 lead Rachel Lindsay didn’t mince words when saying, “the name Bachelorette, Bachelor is tainted at this point.”

Trista Sutter suggested she has been in touch with Taylor Frankie Paul since the news broke, saying that she wrote in The Bachelorette group text that, “I’m here for you,” and as for the fans, she hopes Bachelor Nation will continue to weather this storm, saying:

The Season 1 Bachelorette — who is one of The Bachelor’s most famous contestants, having also competed on Dancing with the Stars, Fear Factor and Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test — got the chance to meet Taylor Frankie Paul recently. Trista Sutter and most of the other Bachelorette leads reunited in support of the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star for a “Before the First Rose” special that aired a week before what would have been Paul’s premiere.

Trista Sutter had nothing but nice things to say about the MomTok leader, as she continued:

Four days after their reunion special aired, ABC decided to pull the plug on The Bachelorette Season 22, following the release of a video from the 2023 incident involving Taylor Frankie Paul and her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen that led to Paul's arrest.

The leaked viral video came on the heels of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives halting production on Season 5 amid new domestic violence allegations between Paul and Mortensen from February of this year. Since then, a third incident between the former couple — this one from 2024 — has come to light.

There are a lot of questions surrounding the ABC dating franchise, with the network reportedly losing tens of millions of dollars, and I agree with Trista Sutter that this is a “very sad” situation from all angles.

The drama surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul continues one week after a disturbing video related to the MomTok leader’s 2023 arrest was leaked, prompting ABC to pull Paul’s season of The Bachelorette from the 2026 TV schedule. Rumors have swirled that the network is looking for a quick replacement in hopes of providing Bachelor Nation with something more than AFV reruns, and according to one source, there’s still the possibility that the already-filmed Season 22 could see the light of day.

ABC executives knew about Taylor Frankie Paul’s 2023 arrest for domestic violence against her then-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, when she was chosen to lead The Bachelorette. The incident was featured on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ very first episode (streaming with a Hulu subscription). However, the video showing Paul throwing metal chairs at Mortensen — one of which reportedly hit her daughter — proved to be too much, and her Bachelorette season was scrapped … for now. An industry insider told Page Six:

It’s true that the network seemed to choose its words carefully in the statement released March 19 — just three days before The Bachelorette Season 22 was set to premiere. ABC said:

“At this time” is the key phrase here, seemingly indicating that a time could come when they feel OK with airing Taylor Frankie Paul’s supposed love story. It all comes down to money, which puts ABC in quite a pickle. The network is estimated to be out tens of millions of dollars if these Bachelorette episodes never air, not to mention possible lawsuits from the season’s contestants. The insider said:

Will there ever be a time when airing the season would be appropriate? The video leak happened as production of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 5 shut down due to new domestic violence allegations from both Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen from late February 2026. On March 25, reports of a third incident came out, which apparently occurred in 2024.

In the meantime, rumors are circulating that ABC is looking at Love Island cast member Maura Higgins — also part of The Traitors Season 4 cast — to lead a season of The Bachelorette that would allegedly air practically live.

However, a second source for the Daily Mail seemed reluctant to write Taylor Frankie Paul off so quickly, saying:

We’ll have to wait to see what the future holds for The Bachelor franchise, but in the meantime, you can watch what transpired between Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen in the weeks before she left to film the dating show on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4 on Hulu.

Earlier in the 2026 TV schedule, Bachelor Nation fans might have been expecting to spend their Sunday nights following the latest single searching for love in primetime. That would have been before a controversial video featuring The Bachelorette Season 22 star Taylor Frankie Paul went viral, prompting ABC to pull the season from the schedule. Now, the network has revealed what will be taking the show’s place on Sunday nights, and I really hope it doesn’t stick.

Season 22 of The Bachelorette was originally scheduled for Sundays from 8 - 10 p.m. ET on ABC, following the premiere on March 22. The decision to pull it from primetime came just days before that planned premiere, with ABC quickly adding a repeat of American Idol to air instead. That didn’t necessarily seem like a permanent solution, however, and now Deadline reports what the network has planned moving forward.

ABC is set to broadcast reruns of America’s Funniest Home Videos at 8 p.m. ET and The Greatest Average American at 9 p.m. ET to fill the vacancy left by The Bachelorette Season 22 on Sundays. AFHV is an ABC staple as the network’s longest-running primetime entertainment show, with Dancing with the Stars’ Alfonso Ribeiro hosting. The Greatest Average American premiered back in February as a game show testing contestants on how everyday Americans live, with comedian Nate Bargatze as the host.

All in all, the two shows make sense as a duo on Sunday nights. New episodes of America’s Funniest Home Videos are already scheduled on Sundays for 7 p.m. ET, and a game show is a logical pairing for it, especially one as new as The Greatest Average American that may still be looking to build a following.

Episodes of Nate Bargatze's series usually air on Wednesdays, which is a packed night of primetime with heavy-hitters like CBS’ Survivor and NBC’s One Chicago as the network TV competition. If ABC was going to have to scramble to find two hours of television to replace The Bachelorette, these two shows track.

That said, I do hope that ABC comes up with something more exciting as the weeks pass and there’s more time to deal with a missing season of Bachelor Nation. Normally, I might speculate that RJ Decker could be moved to Sundays as a brand new show, or that the network could bring Celebrity Jeopardy over from Fridays, as those two were ABC’s only March premieres other than The Bachelorette. Both have already premiered, however, and there’s no clear answer at the time of writing for how ABC could replace Taylor Frankie Paul's season without leaning on repeats.

Technically, ABC and Disney haven’t yet ruled out the possibility that Paul’s season of The Bachelorette could air in some form or other, with losses reportedly reaching $50 million if the episodes never see the light of day. It didn’t take long for rumblings that some of the men who appeared on The Bachelorette to try and woo the leading lady are taking legal action against ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Despite the sticky situation, vets of Bachelor Nation have spoken up in support of ABC’s move to pull the season, with former Bachelor star Grant Ellis saying that the network “needed to take a stance.” Rachel Lindsay, a former Bachelorette, went even harder, wondering how it would even be possible to “move forward past” Taylor Frankie Paul’s being associated with the franchise.

For now, it’s just a matter of waiting to see if ABC salvages anything from Season 22 of The Bachelorette, as well as whether the network is going to stick with a Sunday night featuring reruns of America’s Funniest Home Videos and The Greatest Average American.

Bachelor Nation is still reeling over ABC’s cancellation of Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette, which was supposed to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule on March 22. Now it’s not just the future of the already-filmed season that’s in question but the fate of the entire Bachelor dating franchise. For the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, however, the worst part of the whole situation has nothing to do with television.

The decision to scrap The Bachelorette Season 22 came on March 19, after video footage leaked of a 2023 fight between Taylor Frankie Paul and her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. In the video, she can be seen throwing metal chairs, and Mortensen is heard saying that Paul's daughter was “hit in the head” with one of them. Social media has been ablaze with opinions in the days that followed, and Paul appeared in the comments of one TikTok video to say:

The video that TFP was responding to showed a TikToker dragging Dakota Mortensen for allegedly releasing the video on the 2nd birthday of his and Taylor Frankie Paul’s son Ever. (It has not been confirmed who leaked the 2023 footage.) The TikToker also cautions people against putting the blame squarely on Paul’s shoulders.

The video of this domestic violence incident may be new to the public, but the incident itself is not. The first episode of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (streaming with a Hulu subscription) showed police officers’ body cam footage of her arrest.

She was charged with one felony count of aggravated assault, two felony counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child and one misdemeanor count each of child abuse and criminal mischief, according to TMZ. She later entered a plea in abeyance for the aggravated assault charge, meaning it would be downgraded to a misdemeanor in three years if no other incidents occurred. The other charges were dismissed with prejudice.

Taylor Frankie Paul’s on-off relationship with Dakota Mortensen has continued to be a main storyline on the Hulu reality series, but production of Season 5 was halted March 16 after another reported domestic violence incident between the former couple allegedly occurred in February, per People.

The ensuing decision to cancel The Bachelorette just days before its premiere date cost ABC a lot of money, and it would seem the future of both the dating franchise and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives are up in the air.

More tragic than any of that, however, is that there are children involved. In addition to Ever, Taylor Frankie Paul also shares a daughter and older son with her ex-husband Tate Paul. and as she suggested in that TikTok comment above, this must be such a hard thing for her daughter to have to relive.

Bachelor Nation is still reeling over ABC’s cancellation of Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette following the release of a 2023 video that appears to show the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star assaulting her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. The announcement came just three days before Season 22 of the reality dating show was set to premiere, and it was undoubtedly a costly decision for the network — but just how much are we talking here?

When taking production, promotion and marketing costs into consideration for The Bachelorette Season 22, it’s estimated that ABC could be out tens of millions of dollars. The future of Taylor Frankie Paul’s season is unknown, with ABC brass seemingly keeping their options open by saying it won’t air on the 2026 TV schedule “at this time.”

Regardless of if it ever sees the light of day, Forbes reports that the Alphabet Network is on the hook for licensing fees to Warner Bros. The Wall Street Journal reports ABC was paying approximately $5 million per episode — an estimated $50 million loss if it never airs.

No episode count was confirmed for The Bachelorette Season 22, but seasons have had between 10 and 13 episodes in all but one (Charity Lawson, 9 episodes) since 2008. At an estimated $2 million per-episode cost to produce, that’s at least another $20 million.

There are also the advertisers who paid for time during The Bachelorette’s episodes. Their ads will now have to be placed in different shows, possibly adding extra commercials to reach the audience size ABC expected to have in bringing on the #MomTok star whose soft swinging scandal gained national attention and led to The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

(Four seasons of that series can be streamed with a Hulu subscription. Season 5 production was halted March 16 amid a “domestic assault investigation,” with both Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen making claims against each other from an alleged incident on February 24 and 25.)

ABC will still bring in some ad revenue with whatever airs during the timeslot planned for The Bachelorette — an American Idol rerun replaced the premiere on March 22 — but those ads will likely cost less than The Bachelorette’s.

The previous season of The Bachelorette starring Jenn Tran in 2024 generated $30.7 million in ad revenue, according to Forbes. No season aired in 2025, as it was also canceled due to behind-the-scenes drama. The WSJ estimates (via an ad-spending tracking form) that Taylor Frankie Paul’s season was expected to bring in as much as $35 million.

On top of production costs and ad revenue losses, there’s also the reported millions of dollars spent on promoting the new season. Taylor Frankie Paul appeared on Live with Kelly and Mark and Good Morning America. She walked the red carpet at the Oscars, after which a preseason “Before the First Rose” special aired on ABC that reunited almost all of the former Bachelorettes in support of Paul.

None of these costs even factor in potential lawsuits from the would-be Bachelorette cast members. It also doesn’t take into account the price of creating any kind of possible replacement programming, though former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay didn’t mince words regarding the possibility of The Bachelor franchise even surviving to produce another season.

While ABC's losses already appear to total tens of millions of dollars, the full cost of Taylor Frankie Paul's Bachelorette cancellation — financial and otherwise — remains to be seen.

One of the most highly anticipated seasons of any Bachelor franchise show has turned into a disaster this week, as new domestic violence allegations came to light related to The Bachelorette Season 22 lead, Taylor Frankie Paul, and a video of a known 2023 incident. Now, ABC has made the shocking decision to pull the entire season from the 2026 TV schedule, and another former lead — Grant Ellis — is weighing in on whether or not that was the right call.

Grant Ellis was the star of The Bachelor Season 29 last year, and he told TMZ this is an “unfortunate situation,” but that he stands against domestic violence and thinks the network made the right call in scrapping Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette. Ellis said:

Grant Ellis said he was worried about the fans, who were excited for the season, but to have gone ahead with The Bachelorette in light of recent events between The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, wouldn’t have been right. He continued:

As for whether or not ABC should have cast Taylor Frankie Paul as The Bachelorette in the first place, knowing her history with domestic violence — her 2023 arrest is addressed in the first episodes of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (available to stream with a Hulu subscription), and her and Dakota’s turbulent relationship is a constant plotline — Grant Ellis does think “errors” were made by ABC. The former Bachelor said:

The network has a lot to overcome to make it up to the fans, Grant Ellis said, but it did make the right call, in his opinion.

On March 16, production of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 5 was paused due to a domestic assault investigation involving Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen. That led to rumors about the future of her Bachelorette season, which was set to premiere Sunday, March 22.

After the scary video of the 2023 incident was leaked — which appeared to show Paul hitting and kicking Mortensen and throwing chairs at him while her daughter cried in the background — ABC announced its decision to pull the season.

There’s a lot still up in the air, including the future of both The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives franchises, as well as who will lead the next season of The Bachelor, as that person often comes from the previous cast of The Bachelorette. For now, though, the safety of all involved needs to come first.

We’re just weeks away from The Bachelorette Season 22 premiere on the 2026 TV schedule, and for the first time in the show’s history, the lead is not a contestant from a previous season of The Bachelor, but rather a celebrity from a whole different reality show. I’m looking forward to watching Taylor Frankie Paul from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives work her way through two dozen men, and I really love what her casting might mean for the rest of the dating franchise.

Rumors have started to circulate that other Bachelor Nation series might follow The Bachelorette’s lead by recruiting young singles who are already famous from other reality TV shows. For instance, there’s been some buzz that Robert Irwin, the most recent Dancing with the Stars champion, could lead The Bachelor, and a certain Housewife's hat has been thrown in the ring for The Golden Bachelorette. Let’s break down what each celebrity has said and why this would be great for Bachelor Nation.

I’m Expecting Taylor Frankie Paul To Breathe New Life Into The Bachelorette

I have to admit — I didn’t watch The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives before Taylor Frankie Paul was announced as the new Bachelorette. However, hearing the buzz and knowing that I was definitely going to be tuning in, I decided to embark on an intense binge of all three seasons (Season 4 premieres March 12 with a Hulu subscription).

That’s got to be one of the main benefits of stunt casting — Bachelor Nation fans who never watched SLOMW will want to get caught up before The Bachelorette, and people who already love the MomTok leader are going to tune in to see her journey on ABC, regardless of if they’ve been fans of the dating show in the past.

Paul’s established fame — and the fact that we’ve seen her go through so much with ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen — is going to bring an energy to The Bachelorette we haven’t seen before. So, will The Bachelor follow suit?

Robert Irwin Responds To Rumors About The Bachelor

Wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin’s love life got the attention of viewers when he was competing on Dancing with the Stars Season 34, and dating rumors started circulating after he and Season 32 winner Xochitl Gomez were paired for a dance. Gomez later confirmed she was still single, but that didn't stop fans from wanting to see Irwin find love. Rumors began to circulate that the 22-year-old could lead the next season of The Bachelor.

When asked by ET whether he might return to reality TV, Robert Irwin said, “Never say never,” which led to the obvious follow-up regarding whether he’d be interested in being The Bachelor. Irwin teased:

I’m encouraged by this response, and the powers that be at ABC should be trying to lock down this wholesome animal lover, like, yesterday. He’s charming, he’s hot, he’s got an accent — literally, what more do you want?

Is Countess Luann In The Running For The Golden Bachelorette?

Luann de Lesseps, an OG from The Real Housewives of New York, has apparently been on people’s minds to lead The Golden Bachelorette for a while. After Joan Vassos was cast for Season 1, in fact, Andy Cohen voiced his displeasure with the decision, saying Countess Luann would have been “amazing.”

The Bravo host might just be in luck, because back in December, Vassos made it sound like ABC might still have the Countess’ number. Given that the franchise was going in a different direction with Paul on The Bachelorette, Vassos told US Weekly:

Is The Golden Bachelorette something that Luann de Lesseps would be interested in? US Weekly asked her, and the RHONY alum didn’t hesitate, saying:

You heard her!

The Real Housewives franchise falls outside of my reality TV expertise, unfortunately, but I’ve loved getting to know several of them on The Traitors, and just like I binge-watched The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives for Paul, if de Lesseps were going to be The Golden Bachelorette, I’d definitely have to do my homework in that department, as well.

Continuing To Stunt-Cast On The Bachelor Would Only Benefit The Franchise

That goes back to what I said earlier about bringing in new fans from other reality TV shows. We’ve already seen how well this type of cross-promotion works on series like The Traitors. I typically don’t know who half of The Traitors cast members are at the beginning of a season, but that doesn’t affect how much I enjoy the game at all. In fact, I end up seeking out their most iconic reality TV moments, like Dan Gheesling staging his own funeral on Big Brother.

Bachelor Nation alumni have appeared — and largely been successful — on several other reality shows like Dancing with the Stars, The Traitors, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, Perfect Match and more. With Paul starring on The Bachelorette, it feels like the franchise might start playing by those rules and winning over new audiences by casting people we already know from other shows.

The partnership between The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives makes a lot of sense, given their Disney connections, and hopefully TFP’s season will be successful enough to encourage ABC to continue down that path. Robert Irwin and Luann de Lesseps are definitely good options to start, and I’d be thrilled if those rumors ended up being true.

For now, though, I know where I’ll be when the guys start exiting the limos to show Taylor Frankie Paul their best TikTok dance moves — tune into The Bachelorette Season 22, kicking off at 8 p.m. ET, Sunday, March 22, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

Since appearing on The Bachelor in 2020, Madison Prewett has been pretty open about the tougher aspects of her reality TV experience. She allegedly lost 20 pounds while vying for Peter Weber’s heart (presumably thanks in part to his mother laying into her during a “scary” live finale). However, Barb apparently wasn’t the only frightening part of her experience. Prewett got real about the “traumas” she suffered, and I’m shocked to hear that the producers actually called themselves “witches.” Umm, what?

Madison Prewett visited The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast recently, where they talked topics like how Christians are portrayed on TV and Prewett’s experience on The Bachelor Season 24. The reality star recalled a conversation she and her husband Grant Troutt had with a neurologist, where she said she wishes she could see before-and-after images of her brain after everything she went through. Prewett said:

Candace Cameron Bure was shocked at the revelation that the producers would give themselves such a nickname. Her reaction isn’t really surprising, given her belief system and how she thinks scary movies could be a portal to bring evil into the home, but I have to say I agree with her on this front.

The Bachelor is supposed to be about falling in love, right? Even if they meant it in a witch doctor/love potion kind of way, it’s a strange energy to bring to your job, in my opinion. I’m not naive, though; I’ve been a fan of Bachelor Nation for long enough to have seen the producers pull some pretty wild stunts on the contestants that don't always seem to have their love lives front-of-mind (need I mention the poop baby again?).

Suffice it to say I don’t understand why the producers would have thought of themselves as having to be witchy. As for the second trauma Madison Prewett experienced, she said that came when the public finally saw her journey with Peter Weber play out on TV, saying:

“Whiplash” is a good word for it, because it doesn’t sound all bad, given how it did make her famous (she’s on Candace Cameron Bure’s podcast, after all!). But while Madison Prewett admits she’s glad to have gone though that experience, it’s not one she would recommend for her friends. She told the Great American Family actress:

Strong words!

There is no season of The Bachelor premiering on the 2026 TV schedule in January, but on Sunday, March 22, tune in to see The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul take her place as The Bachelorette. Episodes will air at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and stream the next day with a Hulu subscription.

For fans of reality dating shows, there are so many options, and the 2026 TV schedule won't be an exception. From raunchier series like Love Island to gimmicky hits like Love Is Blind, there’s never a shortage of people willing to go on TV in hopes of finding love. The Bachelor franchise, for instance, has been around for over two decades, and as a longtime fan, let me assure you that 2025 was a pretty eventful year.

Across The Bachelor and all of its spinoffs, the past 12 months have brought us engagements, breakups, weddings, scandals and headlines that have the potential to change the trajectory of ABC’s dating franchise. Here are 6 things that happened within Bachelor Nation in 2025 that I’m still not over.

The Bachelor Franchise Cleans House After Toxic Workplace Accusations

Shortly after Grant Ellis’ season of The Bachelor wrapped earlier this year, the shocking announcement was made that The Bachelorette would not air in 2025. Allegations of a toxic workplace culture followed soon after, and co-EPs Michael Margolis and Keely Booth resigned. Ultimately, executive producers Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner also parted ways with the franchise.

In addition to on-screen issues like the cruel treatment of Jenn Tran during her season finale, the senior producers were accused by a dozen current and former crew members of running a “hostile” operation, where the employees allegedly experienced mental and verbal abuse, mind games and threats to their jobs if they didn’t “step in line,” according to Deadline.

It wasn’t just the ones at the top, though, who were replaced. No Bachelorette season meant no jobs for the rest of the producers, and when Bachelor in Paradise returned for Season 10 this summer, it featured new showrunner Scott Teti and an entirely new production crew.

Bachelor In Paradise Jumps The Shark By Introducing A Cash Prize

With all fresh faces behind the scenes, it’s no surprise that Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 looked different than what Bachelor Nation fans were used to. The biggest change, however, came midway through the season, when host Jesse Palmer announced that no new arrivals would be entering the game. The couples were locked in and would spend the rest of the season competing for up to $500,000.

This was a huge issue for longtime fans, who continue to value contestants going on the show “for the right reasons,” i.e. for love, rather than money or clout. Some of the cast members took issue as well, especially those who weren’t romantically involved with their partner but were forced to compete as couples anyway. The big swings didn’t pay off, in my opinion, and it didn’t help that the “love or money” ultimatum at the end made absolutely no sense.

Zach Shallcross Becomes The Second Bachelor To Marry The Woman He Proposed To

The Bachelor franchise has faced plenty of issues over the years, but one of the biggest criticisms is how rarely its final couples actually make it to the altar after getting engaged. Bachelor in Paradise has had a pretty good success rate, as well as The Bachelorette, but on The Bachelor, Season 17’s Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici were the only final couple to actually get married — until 2025.

Zach Shallcross from Season 27 married Kaity Biggar, the woman he proposed to two years earlier on The Bachelor finale. Unlike Sean and Catherine before them, Zach and Kaity did not have a televised wedding, opting instead for a small ceremony in May and then a larger celebration of about 100 loved ones in November, both taking place in Austin, Texas.

A couple of The Bachelor’s leads have previously gone on to marry their second-place finisher, but for the dating show to see its second wedding between the lead and the actual winner of the season is a pretty big deal.

Mel Owens Causes Golden Bachelor Controversy Before His Season Even Starts

We’re only a couple of seasons into the Golden spinoffs, but fans have come to expect a more heartwarming show from the older contestants — one that values hope and second chances over drama and clout-chasing. Mel Owens soiled that reputation a bit when he went on Michigan football’s In the Trenches podcast ahead of The Golden Bachelor Season 2 premiere and basically said he had no interest in dating women his age. His exact words:

The 66-year-old’s comments made a bad first impression, and it only got worse when the show premiered. Mel Owens proved unwilling or unable to express any emotions in front of the camera, and the season was a mess overall with the unnecessary introduction of a “villain” and low ratings.

Gerry Turner Goes Scorched Earth On Ex-Wife Theresa Nist

Mel Owens wasn’t the only Golden Bachelor lead causing drama in 2025. Season 1’s Gerry Turner published a memoir, Golden Years: What I’ve Learned from Love, Loss, and Reality TV, in which he accused his ex-wife Theresa Nist of manipulating him, misleading him about her financial situation and trying to get him to spend millions of dollars more than he was comfortable with on a house. He also took issue with her carb-free diet.

Theresa Nist, who was married to Gerry Turner for three months before they announced their divorce, fired back on the Dear Shandy podcast, accusing Gerry of anger issues. She said he’d called her names, yelled at her and said he didn’t care to hear her opinion. After their uplifting season of The Golden Bachelor, this was a surprisingly brutal turn of events.

Taylor Frankie Paul Is Named The Next Bachelorette

As wild as this year has been for Bachelor Nation, we may see even more fireworks in 2026, with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul crossing franchises to look for love on The Bachelorette Season 22. After binge-watching all three seasons of SLOMW in two weeks, I have so many questions about what this means for the Bachelor franchise. Will this kick the ratings back up? Will it inspire the show to cast more celebrities as leads, rather than previous contestants?

Taylor Frankie Paul, at the very least, is going to bring a different energy to the show than past Bachelorettes (she's already got Jesse Palmer doing TikTok dances), and after the 2025 we’ve had, I’m here for it. Tune in when The Bachelorette premieres at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, March 22, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

It’s certainly been a wild year for the women of MomTok since The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was released last September. They’ve become bigger than their social media accounts, dominating Hulu and even spilling into other reality TV universes. Just one example of that is Taylor Frankie Paul being named the next Bachelorette, and after an intense binge of all three seasons of her Hulu series, I’ve got some big questions about what’s to come on the ABC dating show.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been on my radar but never made it to the top of my watchlist. However, as a longtime fan of The Bachelor franchise, I knew I needed to get on it after the Taylor Frankie Paul announcement, because I wanted to watch and react to SLOMW Season 3 as soon as it hit the 2025 TV schedule. For reasons that defy logic, I procrastinated still, and ended up cramming all 29 episodes into the span of two weeks. So how am I doing?

29 Episodes Of The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives In 14 Days: 0/10 Do Not Recommend

My solo watch party spanned from November 5 to 19, and I am coming to you now a changed person — probably not for the better. Much of the Season 1 drama was mind-numbingly petty, and I almost quit after three episodes. Taylor Frankie Paul kept me going, though, and not just because of The Bachelorette.

She’s kind of magnetic, and as much as I’m obsessed with the idea of her on the ABC’s longtime dating show, I found myself just waiting to see what she’d do or say next. (For the record, I feel the same way about Whitney Leavitt, and I’m not sorry.)

I’m ultimately glad I stuck with it, because it’s fascinating to see the couples navigate a dynamic where the wives are the breadwinners in a culture that celebrates the patriarchy. Those relationships are exponentially more interesting than an argument over a flask at a graduation party — scandalous!

My hyper-binge came at a price, though. At least once I spontaneously yelled, “I hate insecure men!” to no one, and I know my blood pressure suffered from hearing the women justify manufacturing drama at every public function. God knows it’s not a birthday party until the tears start falling.

OK, time for a deep breath.

In the end, I’m just so excited and curious about how Taylor Frankie Paul is going to absolutely upend Bachelor Nation. So my first question is:

How Will Taylor Frankie Paul Avoid Spoiling Her Season Of The Bachelorette?

Practically since the beginning of time, The Bachelor has premiered in January, so it was pretty wild news that Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was usurping its spot on the 2026 TV schedule. However, come to find out her journey won’t hit our screens until March 22. What’s more is that her season started filming in October.

Is there any world where Taylor Frankie Paul gets engaged in November or December and then keeps it a secret until the finale airs half a year later? She is a public figure. It is her job to be on social media. How will she pull this off? Less public-facing leads have spoiled their own season, and we expect different from an influencer?

Will The Bachelorette Adapt Its Format To Feature Taylor Frankie Paul More Prominently?

I’m really interested to see if and how The Bachelorette’s format is changed to accommodate its celebrity lead. Whereas The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives follows Taylor Frankie Paul and the rest of MomTok to whatever appearance, party or weekend getaway they’ve arranged for shit to inevitably hit the fan, The Bachelorette has way more structure.

Each episode of The Bachelorette typically features three dates, a cocktail party and a rose ceremony, and while the lead is certainly around for much of this, I’d say the rest of the cast is often more prominently featured.

It can’t be that way for Taylor Frankie Paul. She’s the one we’re tuning in to see, and I’d love for The Bachelorette to adjust its format and let us behind the scenes a little more. I want GRWM videos before group dates and to hear her decision-making process before a rose ceremony. I definitely need her teaching Jesse Palmer more TikTok dances.

How Much Will Taylor Frankie Paul’s Mom Be Involved?

Oh Liann. What a national treasure she is. I fear Taylor Frankie Paul’s mom may just love the spotlight as much as her daughter. She got quite the glow-up between Seasons 1 and 2 (which was so jarring when you’re binging as fast as I was), and the way she injected herself into Taylor’s feuds had me watching through my fingers but praying she didn’t stop.

I don’t even have to ask if she’ll be making an appearance on The Bachelorette Season 22, because we already saw her having a conversation with her daughter ahead of TFP’s interview with Jesse Palmer at The Golden Bachelor Season 2 finale (which, like all three seasons of Mormon Wives, can be streamed with a Hulu subscription). My question is simply how much will she be involved?

Will she help out on a group date? Drop by the men’s living quarters to get the tea? Whatever it is, my guess is we’ll be seeing a lot of Liann, even before the finalists’ “meet the family” dates.

Are Taylor And Dakota Really Broken Up For Good?

This is a big one. Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette announcement came about four months after filming ended on Season 3 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Of course the most recent season saw her seemingly end things with Dakota Mortensen for good after it came to light that something had happened between him and one of Liann’s friends, who Taylor considered family.

I’m sorry, I’m just not sure I buy it. Taylor and Dakota weren’t super stable at any point in these three seasons, but that didn’t keep them from being together. Dakota lying about another woman didn’t keep Taylor from sleeping with him when they were broken up, and before the drama with the family friend was revealed, they looked ready to get back together.

I think she and Dakota both wanted the relationship to work, especially for their son, and becoming The Bachelorette within months of this latest drama feels reactive.

Will The MomTok Group Bring Its Signature Drama To The Bachelorette Group Date?

Speaking of other SLOMW cast members, we know MomTok will be involved in The Bachelorette to some degree. Jesse Palmer referenced a group date at Dancing with the Stars — presumably to see Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck compete — during his recent sitdown with TFP.

Will it dissolve into tears and screaming, as so many of their get-togethers do? Will we find out somebody else kissed Marciano? Will Ben Affleck be there? And who invited Chase anyway?

My two-week binge was really intense, guys. Outside of the petty cycle of event, fight, rinse, repeat for 29 episodes of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, there was a lot of real trauma to sift through. So I’m going to officially take a step back from MomTok until it gets back to the reason why they started it. (Just kidding. It never will.)

When March rolls around, however, I’ll be ready for Taylor Frankie Paul to breathe new, chaotic life into The Bachelorette — and to see how the dating show pivots to accommodate such a well-known personality as its lead. Season 22 premieres Sunday, March 22, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

Spoiler alert! This story reveals the winner of The Golden Bachelor Season 2, which is available to stream with a Hulu subscription if you’re not caught up.

A large contingent of Bachelor Nation alumni were in the audience last week, as Mel Owens’ season of The Golden Bachelor wrapped on the 2025 TV schedule. That included the first season’s final couple, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist, who infamously divorced three months into their marriage. The two have been trading accusations in the press lately, following the release of Turner’s memoir, and an insider alleged there were terms in place to secure their attendance.

Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist fell in love on The Golden Bachelor Season 1 and got married in an unhinged wedding ceremony that aired live on ABC, so it makes sense that the network would want them there to support Mel Owens on the Season 2 finale. Following the episode, which saw Peg Munson accept Owens’ final rose — but not a proposal — an insider said Turner and Nist had allegedly insisted on certain conditions before agreeing to be in the audience. They told The Sun:

Gerry Turner attended the event with his new fiancée Lana Sutton, while Theresa Nist sat beside her bestie, Season 1 runner-up Leslie Fhima, and other Goldens. I guess that means Nist wasn’t too upset that Fhima refused to defend her against Turner’s accusations in his book, Golden Years: What I've Learned from Love, Loss and Reality TV.

While The Bachelor producers often seem willing to create drama at all costs, they stuck by their word (or maybe their contract?) and maintained a distance between the former spouses. The source continued:

One would certainly hope that Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist would have enough respect for Mel Owens and Peg Munson — even after a season that’s been something of a mess — to not make the night about them, but in this franchise, you can’t always trust everyone to make the smartest decisions.

In his memoir Gerry Turner discusses a disconnect between Theresa Nist and himself, as he mentioned her diet of fish, salads and smoothies as something that didn’t work for him. He also accused her of misrepresenting her economic situation and said they couldn’t agree on a home to buy together because she allegedly wanted to spend millions more than he did.

Theresa Nist, meanwhile, has denied the house claims, denied that his cancer diagnosis played into their divorce and pretty much refuted Turner’s recollection of their time together.

With Mel Owens’ Golden Bachelor finale taking place just a week after Gerry Turner’s book release, it’s pretty wild timing for Turner and Theresa Nist to have their first in-person reunion. If the insider information is correct, it definitely makes sense that they would have these terms in place before agreeing to go back in front of the cameras.

Spoiler alert! This story reveals the winner of The Golden Bachelor Season 2, which is available to stream with a Hulu subscription if you’re not caught up.

The Golden Bachelor Season 2 is in the books, and despite Mel Owens not getting engaged to either of his final two women when the finale aired on the 2025 TV schedule, it was still by most accounts a happy ending. It was Peg Munson who accepted the final rose from the former NFL player but not a proposal and, despite that technically going against the premise of the show, I am completely on board with her explanation.

For 23 years (and a combined 53 seasons), The Bachelor and its spinoffs have existed on the premise of the lead proposing (or getting proposed to) at the end of the season. Of course, this hasn’t happened every time — and the long-term success rate of those who have gotten engaged is laughable — but it’s still an expectation amongst fans. Rather than an engagement ring, Mel Owens presented Peg Munson with a promise ring from Neil Lane, and she had a lovely way of justifying their decision, telling BachelorNation.com:

Look, no one was more skeptical about Mel Owens’ season than I was, in part due to his comments about not wanting to date women in their 60s, and overall I still don’t think Owens made himself vulnerable enough to carry a season as its lead. However, I will put my gripes aside, because Peg Munson is completely right.

They don’t owe us an engagement. I’m not sure it makes sense for people of any age to make a commitment like that to each other after such a short period of time, but the stakes certainly seem lower for the cast members in their 20s and 30s.

On The Golden Bachelor, the contestants have been through divorce or have been widowed. There are fully established families including children and grandchildren to consider. It’s easy to see how they simply may not care about what a bunch of strangers expect them to do on a reality TV show.

Runner-up Cindy Cullers seemed upset to find out so far into the process that Mel Owens had no intention of proposing at the end, and that’s valid as well. Certainly the producer-fed lines from the 66-year-old attorney like, “My wife is in this room,” were misleading. However, are we really going to fault a man for being smart enough not to rush into something he’s not ready for? Did we learn nothing from Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist?

In fact, another quickie marriage was one thing I didn’t want to see from The Golden Bachelor Season 2. Just look at the inaugural Golden Bachelorette, Joan Vassos. It’s been over a year since she and Chock Chapple got engaged and, even with no wedding in sight or even a shared residence, they appear to be going strong.

Age and experience should earn The Golden Bachelor cast members some things, and I completely agree with Peg Munson that getting to dictate the pace of her love story with Mel Owens is one of them.

It’s been well over a year since The Golden Bachelor’s inaugural couple Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist held hands on Good Morning America to announce that they were ending their marriage after just three months, and yet the drama continues. Following Turner’s tell-all memoir, Nist has thrown out some accusations of her own, but for me, the most unexpected turn in all of this has been the reaction of Nist’s Season 1 castmate Leslie Fhima.

What Did Leslie Fhima Say About Gerry Turner’s Memoir?

Leslie Fhima was the other finalist on Gerry Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor, and while things didn’t work out with the Indiana widower (for her or Theresa NIst), Fhima was among those who reached out to Theresa Nist after the breakup, and the friendship they formed has stood the test of time. That’s why I was so surprised at Fhima’s comments about Golden Years: What I've Learned from Love, Loss and Reality TV.

While visiting the 2 Black Girls, 1 Rose podcast, Fhima declared herself "Switzerland" and did not defend Nist against any of the revelations made in Turner’s book. She said:

I completely understand the urge to avoid conflict, but knowing how much pain Gerry Turner has caused her friend, I guess I expected her to speak out on Theresa Nist’s behalf in some way.

Leslie Fhima did admit that she had only read excerpts from the memoir — the chapter about her, specifically — and wasn’t sure she wanted to read the rest, so I suppose it’s possible that she’s unaware of any specific accusations Gerry Turner made against his ex. I’m not sure though, because she acknowledged how tough it’s all been on Theresa, saying:

For me, the lasting friendships formed on The Golden Bachelor made up for the fact that the marriage didn’t last — it’s one thing that I think is missing from Mel Owens’ season — and I hope Theresa Nist doesn’t feel slighted by Leslie Fhima’s comments. I really want to keep seeing cute videos like the one below:

What Did Gerry Turner Say About Theresa Nist?

Theresa Nist was refuting things that Gerry Turner said about their short-lived marriage even before his memoir was released, including his assertion that his cancer diagnosis played into their decision to divorce. In Golden Years, he said (per E! News) that he found it hard to connect with Nist on their long-distance phone calls, writing:

Those supposedly $12 smoothies also didn’t go over well with Gerry Turner, who was not satisfied by her sugar-free diet of mostly fish and salad. He even accused her of not being fully transparent about her finances when they talked about that in Fantasy Suites, writing:

There were several other incompatibilities listed — possibly including that supposed argument over cornfields — many of which Theresa Nist argued on the Dear Shandy podcast.

It can’t be easy for Theresa Nist to be rehashing all of this two years later for the purposes of Gerry Turner’s book, and regardless of whose version of the story is true, and I hope she’s getting through it with the support of her family and friends. I also really hope Leslie Fhima will continue to be amongst those friends despite her neutral stance on The Golden Bachelor memoir.

It’s hard to believe that just two years ago, the country was captivated by Gerry Turner’s story on The Golden Bachelor, shedding tears as the widower and his cast of 60- and 70-somethings found hope that it’s never too late to fall in love again. Watching Season 2 play out on the 2025 TV schedule, however, has been something of a chore, with Mel Owens looking like he’s as ready for it to be over as we are. The train has come off the tracks, and there are some things that need to be fixed if there’s a Season 3.

It’s been an uphill battle for 66-year-old Mel Owens since even before filming started, as he saw backlash from Bachelor Nation for his comments on a podcast that he preferred to date women under 60 and planned on “cutting” any women older than that. That was a bad look, for sure, but I don’t think that can be blamed for all of this season’s struggles. Here are the changes I think need to be made:

The Lead Needs To Be Willing And Able To Express His Emotions

Mel Owens appears to have trouble showing or even telling us how he feels, and that’s really not what you want in the lead for a show that’s supposed to be about falling in love. That fact has become especially obvious as the season has progressed, with fewer and fewer women left to take up screen time.

For instance, on the Hometown dates, we saw Peg Munson’s daughter struggle to get any real answers from Mel about why he liked her mom, and during Fantasy Suites, Cindy Cullers seemed frustrated that he wouldn’t commit to taking a leap of faith and possibly getting engaged — which, as she pointed out, is the whole premise of The Golden Bachelor.

Contrast that with Gerry Turner (who, admittedly, has also fallen somewhat out of favor with Bachelor Nation since his divorce from winner Theresa Nist). The inaugural Golden Bachelor seemed to be in tears more often than he wasn’t. He complimented the women constantly on things like their poise and intelligence and talked about his late wife Toni so much that she was effectively a member of the cast.

Mel, meanwhile, is a week away from when he’s supposed to propose, and the most we’re getting from him is, “I really like her,” and, “It’s going great.” There was a great opportunity this season to start a conversation about finding love again after divorce, but he doesn’t seem willing to be vulnerable, making it unclear why (or if) he even wants to get married again.

The Golden Bachelor Doesn’t Need A Villain

One of the things I was looking forward to most from The Golden Bachelor Season 2 was getting to watch the friendships form between the cast. That was one of the best parts of Gerry’s season, and the same was true of Joan Vassos’ men on The Golden Bachelorette. That bonding definitely happened again on the current season, but I feel like it was overshadowed by Nicolle Briscoe’s villain storyline.

Putting so much emphasis on whether Nicolle was more interested in Mel or becoming an influencer — “for the wrong reasons” — took so much time away from other stories within the Bachelor Mansion. Producers chose to give us the villain plotline at the expense of, perhaps, hearing the women talk about their families or past relationships.

Many members of the Season 2 cast had extraordinary stories, and I would have loved to get to know them more than having to hear Nicolle talking about how to make good television and her ignorant comments about the “not so great-looking” Season 1 women. (Oh no she didn't!) If we want this brand of drama, we’ll tune into the regular Bachelor. The Goldens don't need it.

Don’t Eliminate So Many People In The First Episode

As I previously mentioned, the women of The Golden Bachelor Season 2 have led phenomenal lives, and we got to hear bits of their experiences — both the wild and the wildly tragic. Cheryl Steele’s story about her ex-husband kidnapping their son as a baby was one of the most horrifying things I’ve heard on a Bachelor show, as well as Debbie Siebers opening up about her ex’s death.

I don’t think one gets cast on a Bachelor series without an interesting or tragic story, so in the interest of getting to hear them, why send so many people home on Night 1?

Both Gerry Turner and Mel Owens eliminated six women in the first rose ceremony. However, Mel’s premiere was a double episode, complete with a second rose ceremony. An additional four were sent packing there, meaning that 10 of Mel’s 23-member cast were gone in two hours.

Going forward, I would love to see only two or three women leave on the first night — if any at all! If producers only want 13 or 15 women to move into Bachelor Mansion, just cast that many and skip the first rose ceremony. It makes no sense to spend so much time introducing all of those women during limo exits, only to send half of them home immediately.

Put The Heart Back Into The Golden Bachelor

Everything I’ve said above kind of boils down to this. We loved the first season of The Golden Bachelor because it made us feel. We were rooting for Gerry to love again after his wife’s death. So many viewers related to the contestants’ stories of grief and of wearing hearing aids or having to prioritize their children’s needs over their own happiness.

The same was true of The Golden Bachelorette, where we cried when Charles Ling got closure on his wife’s death, after thinking for years that there was something he could have done to prevent it. There were also the hilarious moments, like Jack Lencioni going viral for his tour of Bachelor Mansion and the “Mansion Men” doing a synchronized swimming routine in the pool. Where was all of this during Mel's season?

If The Golden Bachelor does get renewed for a third attempt, I hope some changes are made to recapture the wholesomeness that made this such a good spinoff. For now, though, we’ve still got Mel's journey to complete. Tune in for the two-hour finale at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, November 12, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription. If you can’t wait to see how it ends, check out our spoiler to see who is rumored to win Mel Owens’ season.

Mel Owens’ season of The Golden Bachelor is nearing its end, with the cast narrowed down to the final two women — Cindy Cullers and Peg Munson. We’ll have to wait to see which one he chooses (Spoiler alert: This is the rumored winner), but inevitably Bachelor Nation is starting to wonder if another member of the cast could be chosen as the next lead of The Golden Bachelorette. Host Jesse Palmer offered one name as a suggestion, and while I agree wholeheartedly with his choice, I’ve got my eye on someone else.

Jesse Palmer’s Pick For The Golden Bachelorette Season 2: Debbie Siebers

While the franchise has broken from tradition lately by casting leads from outside Bachelor Nation — both with Mel Owens and upcoming Bachelorette Taylor Frankie Paul — the current pool of women is the most likely source for the next Golden Bachelorette, assuming the ABC dating spinoff gets renewed for a second season.

Following the “Women Tell All” (which aired on the 2025 TV schedule on October 29 and can be streamed with a Hulu subscription), Jesse Palmer voiced support for Debbie Siebers, who was surprisingly eliminated after Hometowns. The host told EW:

I would fully support that decision. The fitness professional opened up to Mel Owens when she brought him home to meet her family, divulging the heartbreaking end a past relationship had come to. I would love to hear more of her story and ultimately see her find love again.

After the “Women Tell All,” though, there’s another woman who I’m pretty intrigued by …

My Pick For The Golden Bachelorette Season 2: Monica Brewer

Monica Brewer only made it to the third rose ceremony before being sent home by Mel Owens, but we got a taste of her personality during the group date roast of Owens. Comedian Jared Freid, who helped the women with their acts, had high praise for the flight attendant, saying at the “Women Tell All”:

Jesse Palmer backed up that assessment, telling EW that he considered her the clear winner of the roast, saying:

If she was “the star of the show” on that group date, shouldn’t she be in consideration to be the actual star of your actual show? That is absolutely the energy I’d want to see on The Golden Bachelorette Season 2. As for what I wouldn’t want to see …

Who I Don’t Want To See As The Next Lead: Nicolle Briscoe

Nicolle Briscoe was undoubtedly the villain of the season, as she had less-than-positive things to say about the other women and seemed more interested in becoming famous than getting married. She went so far as to ask Mel Owens to call her if/when he was single again and then pitched herself as the next Golden Bachelorette when she was eliminated.

I don’t think that would be a good decision, because she really alienated herself from her fellow castmates and Bachelor Nation as a whole. I ultimately agree with what Debbie Siebers told her at the “Women Tell All”:

I don’t have any problem with Nicolle Briscoe being more physical with Mel Owens or even her aspirations to become aninfluencer. My bigger issue is things she said about the other women, including her remark that the Season 1 cast members “weren’t so great-looking.”

Do I think she deserves hate and online bullying? Absolutely not. But do I want her as the next Golden Bachelorette? Also, no.

Tune in to see how Mel Owens’ story plays out when The Golden Bachelor returns at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday on ABC.

Back in 2021, Bachelor Nation was rocked by a racism scandal that altered the course of several people’s lives and the franchise as a whole. One of those people was Chris Harrison, who had served as the host of The Bachelor (and all spinoffs) since its 2002 inception, as he was let go by ABC. Harrison has since moved on to other projects, and he opened up about the two things that really helped him to do that.

Jesse Palmer took over in fall 2021 as franchise host — including for The Golden Bachelor, whose second season is currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule. Meanwhile, several things have changed for Chris Harrison over the past four years, and not just his job title. When asked how it feels to no longer be with the franchise, he told People:

By his own account, it didn’t at first. Chris Harrison discussed the situation at length when he launched The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever, revealing that he lost 20 pounds during the ordeal and couldn’t sleep. After he got some distance from it, he was able to see how stressful the job had been, as he said:

Chris Harrison said not having that high-pressure job was tough for him. However, he apparently realized his life didn’t have to continue down the same path, and he credits a couple of different things for that. In his words:

Chris Harrison and Lauren Zima started dating in August 2018, so they’d been together for a while when The Bachelor scandal went down. She stuck by him, though, and the two got engaged in October 2021, just months after Harrison parted ways with ABC. They made it official two years later, tying the knot in October 2023.

The former Bachelor host also said adding his name to the list of celebrities who don’t live in Los Angeles helped, as he returned to his home state of Texas, with he and his wife now residing in Austin.

Bachelor Nation certainly went through trying times in 2021, but it’s good to hear that Chris Harrison has come out on the other side of it. Hopefully the same can be said for everyone else who was involved as well.

You won’t see Chris Harrison on The Golden Bachelor (or any other Bachelor series), but if you want to keep up with the current happenings anyway, tune in at 9 p.m. ET Wednesdays on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Spoiler alert! Major spoilers ahead as we discuss the rumored ending of The Golden Bachelor Season 2. Episodes are available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

It’s hard to believe that Mel Owens’ journey on The Golden Bachelor Season 2 is nearing its conclusion on the 2025 TV schedule. After the former football player visited three hometowns, we’re left with just two women — Cindy Cullers and Peg Munson — vying for Owens’ heart. Which one will he choose? We’ve reportedly got the answer.

As is so often the case, Reality Steve has come through with the alleged winner of Mel Owens’ season, and he posted the spoiler to Instagram:

According to the podcaster, Peg Munson, the 62-year-old retired firefighter and bomb technician from Las Vegas, will accept a marriage proposal from Mel Owens in the season finale of The Golden Bachelor Season 2.

Just like I was surprised by the Hometown elimination, this was not what I expected. Cindy Cullers seemed to have an immediate connection with Mel Owens when she got out of the limo on Night 1, and despite his comments to the contrary, I’m not sure the ex-linebacker has the energy to keep up with Peg Munson.

He also didn’t have a particularly good showing with her family when he visited with her daughter Dakota in Las Vegas. Dakota noted how he wasn’t really able to answer her direct questions about why he liked her mom, which left the daughter “skeptical.” Time will tell if this relationship can go the distance!

“Skeptical” is a good word for how I’ve felt about this season of The Golden Bachelor. It’s been an interesting one — or at least the drama surrounding it has — thanks to Mel Owens’ controversial podcast appearance before filming even started. As has been referenced several times over the course of the season, the 66-year-old attorney candidly said he preferred to date women between the ages of 45 and 60, and that he planned to eliminate any women older than that.

That would have been difficult to do, as only one woman on the cast was in her 50s, and she was sent home on the first night. Mel Owens apologized to the women immediately upon meeting them, and then again publicly before the season aired, but Peg Munson admits she had reservations going in. She told US Weekly:

Well, he must have passed the sniff test, because apparently these two are going to be planning a wedding! I’m excited to see how the remaining weeks of Season 2 play out.

Mel Owens will presumably take his final two women to the Fantasy Suites next Wednesday, November 5, ahead of the season finale, but before that, we’ll get all the tea about what happened behind the scenes when the “Women Tell All” airs at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday, October 29, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

Spoiler alert! This reveals who was eliminated from the Hometowns episode of The Golden Bachelor, which aired on the 2025 TV schedule on October 22. It can be streamed with a Hulu subscription if you’re not caught up.

It’s hard to believe that Mel Owens’ journey on The Golden Bachelor is close to coming to an end, but is the retired NFL player any closer to finding love? The 66-year-old attorney visited the hometowns of the three remaining women on Season 2 of the dating spinoff, and after a really unexpected elimination, I’m officially concerned about how this story ends.

Cindy Angelcyk, Debbie Siebers and Peg Munson made it to the Top 3 of The Golden Bachelor Season 2, and when Mel Owens paid visits to all of their families on the October 22 episode, I really thought Debbie’s was the only one that went off without a hitch. She confided in him a tragic story of losing her partner to suicide, and then her family put their full support behind the relationship.

That made it particularly devastating when the 65-year-old fitness professional was the one sent home at the end of the episode, as Mel Owens said:

That makes me nervous about Mel Owens finding lasting love by the end of his season — and let’s be honest, I was already skeptical of that after his comments about not wanting to date women over 60 in the first place. He just seemed so unsure when visiting with Cindy Angelcyk and Peg Munson’s families.

Peg’s daughter Dakota had trouble coaxing much of anything out of Mel Owens when he traveled to Las Vegas, and she had to prompt him to explain why he thought she was great (“I love her spirit.”) and what he thought about her energy (“Well it’s alive, right?”). Dakota looked further unimpressed when Mel said he wasn’t in love with the 62-year-old and didn’t know if he could get there. She told the camera:

In my opinion, he seemed marginally more engaged when visiting with Cindy Angelcyk’s family in Austin, Texas, describing the 60-year-old retiree as intelligent and sophisticated. It didn’t hurt that he learned she was a college football fan. However, when her daughter Sarah asked if he could potentially see himself with Cindy for the rest of their lives, he said:

She, as well, expressed that she couldn’t get “a lot of straight answers” from him.

Typically at this point on any Bachelor franchise series, fans are freaking out over the lead saying “I love you” to multiple people, so it’s especially worrisome to me that he’s hesitant to express much of anything to his final two women — and perplexing why he sent Debbie home after their successful Hometown date.

It plays into my fear that Mel Owens simply has no interest in dating women his age, and this season was over before it started. For the record, I think Owens will propose — my guess is to Cindy, because they had an immediate connection on Night 1 — but as is so often the case with our Bachelor couples, it’s not going to last.

Will Mel prove me wrong? Tune in for the final episodes, airing at 9 p.m. Wednesdays on ABC, to find out.

The Bachelor franchise has done some wild things in its 23 years on the air, but I can’t say I ever saw this partnership coming. The ABC reality dating show and HGTV are teaming up for a new competition show called Bachelor Mansion Takeover. This is surprising given so many recent HGTV cancellations, but I am pumped nonetheless to see 12 alumni compete as they remodel the famed Villa de la Vina. One question keeps nagging at me though — are these reality stars qualified to do this?

First things first, who are the dozen contestants who will compete for $100,000 on Bachelor Mansion Takeover? There’s a nice mix of old and new, youngs and Goldens, a couple of former leads and more than one villain thrown in the mix. Below is the cast, as well as whose Bachelor season they originally appeared on:

• Dean Bell (né Unglert, Rachel Lindsay)
• Jill Chin (Clayton Echard)
• Noah Erb (Tayshia Adams)
• Allyshia Gupta (Grant Ellis)
• Tammy Ly (Peter Weber)
• Sandra Mason (Gerry Turner)
• Sam McKinney (Jenn Tran)
• Brendan Morais (Tayshia Adams)
• Courtney Robertson Preciado (Ben Flajnik)
• Jeremy Simon (Jenn Tran)
• Christopher Stallworth (Joan Vassos)
• Joan Vassos (Gerry Turner)

Who better to remodel the mansion than those who know what it’s like to live there? But I had to look into whether or not they are actually qualified for the job ahead. The short answer seems to be yes, according to their Bachelor bios, but I’d assume people like Christopher and Sam — who are contractors — are going to have a leg up on others like Noah (a travel nurse) and Courtney (a model).

Who knows, though? Maybe we’ll learn that all of the contestants have had their hands in renovation in some way. Others with relevant experience include Allyshia, interior designer; Tammy, house flipper; Brendan, roofer; and Jill, architectural historian, which I can only hope means she’ll bring some interesting ideas to the table.

Those with possibly less helpful jobs include Dean, startup recruiter; Sandra, retired executive assistant; Joan, private school administrator; and Jeremy, real estate investor (TBD determined if his investing knowledge will help him here).

Again, these were their professions, but it’s reasonable to assume many of them have changed jobs or become influencers since their time in The Bachelor franchise. It does seem, though, like HGTV took their backgrounds into consideration over other factors when casting.

For instance, they didn’t cast the members of Bachelor Nation who are involved with these 12 contestants, like Abigail Heringer, who is married to Noah, or Chock Chapple, who is engaged to Joan.

The HGTV casting team didn’t appear to be going for drama either. They easily could have cast someone’s ex (I’m sure Sam would not be happy to see Jenn Tran again after getting “dragged for filth” on their season), and Allyshia would certainly have bumped heads with Kat Izzo after their rivalry on Bachelor in Paradise Season 10, which can be streamed with a Hulu subscription.

I’m excited to see what the TV personalities bring to the home renovation space. Jesse Palmer will, not surprisingly, be there along the way, as he is the host of Bachelor Mansion Takeover, and Tayshia Adams and Tyler Cameron will serve as the judges.

Honestly, the only bad thing I have to say about the upcoming Bachelor/HGTV relationship is that it won’t be finished in time for the 2025 TV schedule. Bachelor Mansion Takeover is set to air in 2026. In the meantime, you can tune into The Golden Bachelor, with episodes airing at 8 p.m. ET Wednesdays on ABC.

Another season of The Golden Bachelor is upon us, with Mel Owens making his debut on the 2025 TV schedule on September 24. Season 2 of The Bachelor spinoff should be quite interesting, given the 66-year-old lead’s comments about not wanting to date women over 60. It will definitely be different than what we saw with Gerry Turner, but I’m hoping there’s one thing they bring back from that first season — and another that should never happen again.

The Golden Bachelor Should Continue Showing The Fun Female Friendships

Sure, the ultimate goal of any show in The Bachelor franchise is for the lead to find love, but one of the biggest draws to the Golden spinoffs has undoubtedly been the friendships formed between the castmates in the mansion. I really hope Mel Owens’ season continues to showcase those relationships, and I wouldn’t be mad if it leaned even more in that direction.

Those who watched Gerry Turner’s season were likely just as invested in what Susan Noles and Kathy Swarts (Bachelor Nation’s resident Caitlyn and Kris Jenner look-alikes) were up to as they were in Gerry’s dates.

The same goes for Joan Vassos’ season of The Golden Bachelorette, with contestants Charles Ling and Jack Lencioni going viral for their mansion antics, as well as Bachelor in Paradise, where Kathy’s platonic love for Keith Gordon was just as (if not more) enjoyable than some of the romantic connections.

The Golden Bachelor/Bachelorette has also sidetracked from the love story in the past to address issues like loneliness and feeling invisible, as well as featuring powerful conversations about grief and loss. I think Season 2 has the potential to dig into finding love after divorce, which hasn’t been discussed as much, with Gerry Turner and Joan Vassos having both been widowed.

And, if I’m being honest, Mel Owens’ stated preference of dating younger women has me a little wary going into The Golden Bachelor Season 2. I’m afraid any romance we see between Mel and his cast (of which all but one are 60 or older) will be short-lived, which is all the more reason to make the female friendships a top priority.

Speaking of short-lived partnerships, that leads me to the thing I don’t want to see on The Golden Bachelor.

Please, No More Quickie Golden Weddings

Theresa Nist has suggested that her and Gerry Turner’s divorce after three months was partially a result of them getting married so quickly, and some thought it put a stain on the whole Bachelor franchise. If Mel Owens does get down on one knee at the end of The Golden Bachelor Season 2, I really hope he and his betrothed are not asked to do a Golden Wedding special weeks later.

Those in charge of the franchise may have learned a lesson from that first season, since Joan Vassos was not given that option/ultimatum with her Golden Bachelorette winner Chock Chapple (they’re still together, by the way), and if we ever do see another Golden Wedding, I hope it’s after the couple has gotten a chance to test their relationship in the real world.

If you want to see what’s in store for The Golden Bachelor Season 2, Mel Owens’ second chance at love kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, September 24, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

The announcement that the next lead of The Bachelorette was coming not from a previous season of the dating franchise but from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was shocking, prompting all kinds of reactions from Bachelor Nation — and from Taylor Frankie Paul’s ex-boyfriend. You just know the co-hosts over at The View had thoughts as well, including Joy Behar, who threw some shade at the reality TV star.

Taylor Frankie Paul, 31, has three children — 8-year-old Indy and 5-year-old Ocean with ex-husband Tate Paul and 17-month-old Ever with ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. After watching a clip from the future Bachelorette’s interview on Call Her Daddy, in which she talks about informing her children’s fathers of her new role, Joy Behar cracked a joke about Paul having multiple baby daddies, saying:

Oof, I doubt I’m the only longtime Bachelor Nation fan who cringed a little at the “baggage” comment. Back in Season 8 of The Bachelorette, contestant Kalon McMahon received a quick and unceremonious boot from the show when lead Emily Maynard learned that the luxury brand representative had referred to her young daughter as such.

Alyssa Farah Griffin refused to disparage Taylor Frankie Paul for the same reason Joy Behar did, but she had her own thoughts on Paul’s “colorful past” that left her “conflicted” about the season. For one thing, Griffin said, there’s just a lot of uncertainty with ABC’s decision to recruit from outside of Bachelor Nation. She continued:

Alyssa Farah Griffin appears to like the casting decision, and not just because she gives grace to Taylor Frankie Paul regarding her past. Griffin said:

There are definitely a lot of opinions about what’s to come on The Bachelorette in 2026, but one thing seems universally agreed upon — Taylor Frankie Paul will bring the drama.

The View co-hosts also recently shared their opinions on the upcoming season of The Golden Bachelor, which hits the 2025 TV schedule at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, September 24, on ABC. Mel Owens, a 66-year-old former NFL linebacker, raised some eyebrows by saying on a podcast that he planned on eliminating any women over the age of 60.

One can imagine how well this went over on The View, with Alyssa Farah Griffin saying he sounded like “a dog,” and Sunny Hostin pointing out that just because he wants to date 45-year-old women does not mean that 45-year-olds want to date him.

The Golden Bachelor will air before Taylor Frankie Paul’s appearance on The Bachelorette — expected to premiere in January 2026 — as will the third season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (streaming with a Hulu subscription), in which we’ll apparently see how Paul ends her on-off relationship with Dakota Mortensen for good. Tune in when it premieres Thursday, November 13.

Bachelor Nation was shocked this week when it was announced that the franchise was not only skipping its next cycle of The Bachelor in early 2026 but that, for the first time ever, The Bachelorette was coming from outside of the show. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul will lead Season 22 of ABC’s reality dating show. Fans’ reactions were all over the place, but her ex’s Lindsay Lohan-inspired response was particularly amusing.

Fans of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (whose second season aired on the 2025 TV schedule and can be streamed with a Hulu subscription) have watched a lot of drama play out between Taylor Frankie Paul and her baby daddy/on-off boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. So how did he react to her being cast as The Bachelorette? He invoked LiLo, of course! Check out his Instagram post:

OK, I’m loving the resurfacing of Lindsay Lohan’s fake dating video from 2009, and Dakota Mortensen’s use of the Funny or Die clip to address his ex’s upcoming journey to find love would suggest he’s dealing with it pretty well — even if he is potentially referencing her 2023 domestic violence arrest.

In the video, he mouths the words of the Mean Girls star, who says:

But just in case anyone would get the impression that he’s bitter about The Bachelorette stealing his (sometimes) girl, he made sure to clarify that his video was all in good fun, captioning the post:

Whether or not Taylor Frankie Paul will find happiness remains to be seen, but Bachelor Nation can rest assured that she’s going to bring the drama. Mormon Wives’ very first episode addressed the “soft-swinging” scandal that led to her divorce from Tate Paul (with whom she shares two children) and her February 2023 arrest for domestic violence after a drunken altercation with Dakota Mortensen.

The couple allegedly started dating in August 2022, but in November of that year, Taylor Frankie Paul announced she had an ectopic pregnancy, and they broke up soon after. They reunited just weeks later and ultimately welcomed son Ever in March 2024, but their relationship was plagued by cheating rumors, which played out on the Hulu reality show.

According to Taylor Frankie Paul on Call Her Daddy, where she announced her forthcoming run as The Bachelorette, she and Dakota Mortensen are over for good, and we’ll apparently have to watch The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 3 to see that play out.

The third season of the Utah-based reality series is set to premiere Thursday, November 13, on Hulu, ahead of Paul making her debut on The Bachelorette, which will presumably come in January 2026. I can’t help but wonder what kind of social media content she and Dakota Mortensen will continue posting in the meantime.

Spoiler alert! This story discusses the Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 finale that aired September 2. You can stream it with a Hulu subscription if you’re not caught up.

The first revamped season of Bachelor in Paradise has come to end, wrapping its run on the 2025 TV calendar with two couples winning a cash prize and one getting engaged. It was quite the bewildering journey to get there, though, and even after witnessing the conclusion of Jesse Palmer’s “love or money” ultimatum, I’m still confused by the details of the upcoming reunion special.

Two Couples Take Home Cash Prizes After Choosing Love

There was a lot that confused me about the new format of Bachelor in Paradise Season 10, largely the parts centered around the introduction of a cash prize. After the first half of Season 10 featured plenty of drinking and partying — particularly for the Goldens — Jesse Palmer flipped the switch by telling the cast members they had the chance to walk away with up to $500,000.

That was the end of the messy but entertaining-as-hell antics, as the couples were solidified and put through some honestly pretty anticlimactic relationship tests. Love still prevailed for two couples — Andrew Spencer and Alexe Godin and Spencer Conley and Jess Edwards — who walked away with over $100,000 each. Spencer even got down on one knee and proposed to Jess!

Wait, But Didn’t They Have To Choose Between Love And Cash?

Yes, this ultimatum didn’t hold a lot of water for me in the BIP Season 10 finale. The couples were separated, with Jesse Palmer telling them individually that they could take $250,000 and leave alone or forgo the money to reunite with their love. All four contestants chose love, but could they not have taken the money and then reconnected later?

I guess it didn’t matter in the end, because despite giving up their cash prize, Jesse Palmer presented them with three envelopes, each containing a check for a different amount. Andrew and Alexe pulled $125,000, while Spencer and Jess got $190,000. So they were rewarded for their choice with … less money?

I’m not sure if I’d have preferred them to get more than they’d originally turned down or just not receive the cash in the end at all, but the way it played out felt off to me. However, that wasn’t the only mind-boggling aspect of the finale for me.

Bachelor In Paradise Is Having A Reunion, But The Details Are Wild

Usually when Bachelor in Paradise ends, we get some text on the screen updating us about where the couples stand now, and that’s it — on to the next Bachelor Nation show. This time, however, we’re getting a reunion — “Bachelor in Paradise Unplugged,” hosted by Wells Adams. It won’t, however, air on ABC. According to BachelorNation.com:

So we’ll only get the audio when the episodes are originally released but then can watch them both starting Saturday? Why not just wait until the video is ready to release everything? I can’t imagine a lot of people are going to listen to the podcasts when they drop and then go back just to watch the “Unplugged” special.

It seems like a bizarre choice to me, but it’s fitting for a season that’s made me feel like I’m losing my mind more often than not. I’m not sure I’ve known up from down since the entire cast invoked their “douchebag code” to defend Jeremy Simon after he went behind Bailey Brown’s back.

I guess either way, congratulations are in order for Andrew and Alexe, as well as Bachelor Nation’s newest engaged couple Jess and Spencer. I’m interested to see what does come out of the reunion after that baffling season.

Spoiler alert! If you haven’t seen It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s August 20 episode “The Golden Bachelor Live,” you can stream it with your Hulu subscription.

After a season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that paid tribute to series like Is It Cake? and The Rehearsal — and gave us that wild Janine curse in the Abbott Elementary crossover — Season 17 ended on a high note with “The Golden Bachelor Live.” The finale, which both made me cry and provided an awesome classic TV reunion, featured Frank going on The Golden Bachelor, with a plot that felt shockingly similar to the controversy the ABC dating show is actually currently facing with Mel Owens. Did the Gang predict this?

Former NFL linebacker Mel Owens, the 66-year-old lead of the Golden Bachelor Season 2, came under fire this summer for saying he preferred to date women ages 45 to 60 and that he planned on “cutting” any contestants older than that. Knowing this as a Bachelor Nation fan, my whole body cringed into itself during the Always Sunny finale when Frank — standing with Jesse Palmer in front of Bachelor Mansion — started immediately dismissing the women in their 60s who exited the limos, ultimately exclaiming:

My jaw was on the ground. Not because I couldn’t believe Frank would say such a thing — Danny DeVito is always pushing the envelope with his character — but because it hit a little too close to home, given the conversation that has surrounded the upcoming season of The Golden Bachelor.

Of course, Mel Owens’ comments don’t rise even close to the crude level of Frank’s exaggerated reality on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but to me, the sentiment of instantly eliminating women because they were in their 60s felt uncomfortably similar.

What the ex-NFL player said (in part) was:

The Golden Bachelor Season 2 cast has yet to be confirmed by ABC, but the list of potential contestants included just one woman under 60. Mel Owens has since said he apologized to the women on his season on the first night of filming.

So is this like The Simpsons being able to predict future events? Season 17 of Always Sunny wrapped filming in December 2024, months before Mel Owens’ June 2025 appearance on the In the Trenches podcast. With “The Golden Bachelor Live” episode airing on the 2025 TV schedule on August 20, there’s really no way one could have inspired the other.

Maybe we’ll find out Mel Owens has been working with Rob Mac and Charlie Day this whole time, and it’s a big elaborate prank that won’t be revealed until The Golden Bachelor premieres at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, September 24, on ABC. I’d almost believe it at this point.

Wells Adams may not have found love on The Bachelorette when he made his TV debut in 2016, but the fame he got from the reality dating show led to something even better — meeting Sarah Hyland. The Modern Family star shared some throwback photos in celebration of her and Adams’ third wedding anniversary, and her caption reveals one of the downsides to being a working couple in Hollywood.

Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams tied the knot on August 20, 2022 (after years of delays), at what was effectively a Modern Family reunion, and the actress shared a couple of images from their happy day to Instagram:

She included a sweet caption to her Bachelor in Paradise bartender husband, but there was a somewhat disappointing revelation in her message as she wrote:

I guess that’s a definite downside to having careers that involve inflexible filming schedules and lots of travel.

It’s unknown exactly what projects kept the lovebirds apart this year. Wells Adams can be seen serving up drinks and calling out douche-baggery on Bachelor in Paradise, whose 10th season is currently airing on the 2025 TV schedule. Sarah Hyland, meanwhile, wrapped up her latest Broadway role — Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby — in June.

She wasn’t alone in marking the three-year milestone. Wells Adams also shared a slideshow of cute photos and videos from their adventures together, writing:

Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams started dating in 2017 after The Bachelor superfan slid into Adams’ DMs. They got engaged two years later in the summer of 2019 and planned to get married the next year. However, we all know how 2020 went, and the date was ultimately pushed back twice to ensure that they could safely celebrate their union with friends and family.

It was worth the wait for the former radio DJ, who once said on Bachelor in Paradise that he’d known he was going to marry Sarah Hyland since the first night the two hung out. He says she’s his “perfect person,” and I love seeing the sweet (and often funny) things these two have to say about each other.

Three years after “I do,” I think their love story is just as sweet, if not sweeter, than anything else we’ve seen come out of Bachelor Nation, but hopefully one of these years they’ll get to spend their day together!

Speaking of The Bachelor franchise, tune into ABC at 8 p.m. ET on Mondays to see Wells Adams serving up drinks and cynical commentary on Bachelor in Paradise Season 10, with episodes streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Peter Weber’s finale on The Bachelor back in 2020 has gone down in infamy as (actually) the most dramatic season finale ever, but it apparently came at a price. Madison Prewett, one of the women involved in the love triangle that developed at the end of Season 24, opened up about her “traumatizing” experience, revealing that she lost 20 pounds during the ordeal.

Madison Prewett and her husband Grant Troutt went on The Unplanned Podcast, where they talked about their relationship, becoming parents and, of course, her time competing for Peter Weber’s heart on The Bachelor. The Season 24 drama really came to a head at the finale, when Weber’s mom Barb laid into Prewett on live TV. Asked how she maintained her composure in that moment, Prewett had to stop and think a second, saying:

In the finale, Peter Weber — one of the most famous Bachelor alums — got engaged to Hannah Ann Sluss after Madison Prewett chose to leave the show; however, that relationship ended about a month later, and at the live “After the Final Rose” portion of the finale, Weber expressed that he wanted to get back together with Prewett.

Barb Weber was displeased, to say the least, and recalled how the family’s initial meeting with Madison Prewett had gotten off to a rocky start after they’d already fallen in love with Peter’s other finalist a day earlier. Barb said:

Madison Prewett sat silently in front of the live studio audience as Barb Weber continued to put Madison down and even whispered to her husband in Spanish to back her up and “say something bad” too.

On the podcast Madison Prewett explained that she and Peter Weber decided not to pursue a relationship after that (obviously), but she found a silver lining in the experience:

It likely took some time to come to that conclusion, as The Bachelor contestant recalls the immediate aftermath of the live finale, saying:

Honestly, who wouldn’t have? Hearing the physical toll that her Bachelor experience took on her, it’s no wonder that she chooses not to relive those memories very often.

For the rest of us, however, who are still keeping up with all things Bachelor Nation, you can catch the current season of Bachelor in Paradise on the 2025 TV schedule at 8 p.m. ET Mondays on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

There are usually a couple of surprises when the celebrity cast of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test is revealed, and the upcoming season on the 2025 TV schedule is no different. Participants in Season 4 of Fox’s reality competition show include a mother-daughter pair, two married couples and — arguably the biggest shock — controversial actor Jussie Smollett. However, it was actually the absence of any Bachelor contestants that was the most glaring to me.

Jussie Smollett On Special Forces Has Fans Saying ‘Yikes’

It’s not uncommon for celebrity reality shows to cast controversial figures that inevitably create buzz for the series. Just look at fans’ reactions to The Traitors casting Michael Rapaport for Season 4. Jussie Smollett’s upcoming stint on Special Forces — six years after being arrested for lying about a hate crime — definitely had people talking on X, with comments including:

• Are they serious with Jussie?!!! Yikes – evshea220
• Unfortunately they lost me at Jussie. Gross. – BravoBadGirl
• Yikes. Someone giving Jussie Smollett a platform after all the shit he pulled is a little scary. I thought he was in jail. – linusvpelt

This definitely seems like a bold choice for Fox, but the Empire actor isn’t the only interesting casting decision. Alongside Jussie Smollett, the Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test Season 4 contestants are:

• Mother-daughter pair Teresa Giudice and Gia Giudice (The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Next Gen NYC)
• Married couple Shawn Johnson East and Andrew East (Olympic gymnast and NFL)
• Married couple Jessie James Decker and Eric Decker (singer/actress and NFL)
• Kody Brown (Sister Wives)
• Randall Cobb (NFL)
• Johnny Manziel (NFL)
• Christie Pearce Rampone (Olympic soccer)
• Nick Young (NBA)
• Brittany Cartwright (The Valley)
• Mark Estes (TikToker and Kristin Cavallari’s ex-boyfriend)
• Chanel Iman (model)
• Brianna “Chickenfry” LaPaglia (Barstool Sports podcaster)
• Eva Marcille (The Real Housewives of Atlanta)
• Ravi V. Patel (actor)

Not surprisingly, there are quite a few retired pro athletes involved, and it’s really interesting that several contestants are competing alongside loved ones. But seriously, there’s no one from The Bachelor franchise?

I’m Shocked By The Lack Of Contestants From The Bachelor

I honestly can’t believe that The Bachelor franchise has been completely left out of the Special Forces Season 4 casting. You may not think the reality dating contestants can hold their own against professional athletes, but don’t underestimate how psychologically and emotionally strong they become by going up against those producers.

In Seasons 1 and 2, The Bachelor contestants swept Special Forces, with Hannah Brown winning the first (alongside Olympian Carli Lloyd) and Nick Viall (pictured above) and Tyler Cameron amongst the second season’s winners. Admittedly, Season 3 was a disappointment when both Trista Sutter and Ali Fedotowsky were eliminated early, but it’s not like their performances were so terrible that the franchise should no longer be included.

There are just so many great options to choose from. Off the top of my head, Bachelor alumni who I think would be successful in Special Forces include Matt James (also former NFL), Joey Graziadei, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Rachel Lindsay and Blake Moynes. Honestly, I could go on.

I’m sure everyone’s got their opinion about this Season 4 cast announcement, especially with the Jussie Smollett of it all. But I’m actually shocked that with such a good track record of winning the show, Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test would completely ignore The Bachelor franchise.

Tune in this fall to see who comes out on top. Season 4 premieres at 9 p.m. ET Thursday, September 25, on Fox and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

When it comes to tropical reality dating shows, Bachelor in Paradise used to be one of the top options. Now, however, there’s so much competition, from Peacock’s Love Island to Netflix shows like Too Hot to Handle. The Bachelor spinoff returned to the 2025 TV schedule this month with a more elevated feel, but it wasn’t enough to impress at least one Bachelor Nation alum. Tanner Tolbert didn’t hold back his critiques of ABC’s series, but I don’t agree with everything he said.

We first met Tanner Tolbert on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of The Bachelorette before he joined Bachelor in Paradise Season 2. There he met Jade Roper, and the two have been married since 2016. The couple may have sentimental attachment to the franchise for bringing them together, but Tolbert’s got nothing good to say about BIP 10, saying on his Instagram Stories (via Swooon):

There’s no denying that Love Island (available with a Peacock subscription) has really dominated a lot of the reality dating show conversation, pulling in big viewership numbers for its streaming service. I’m sure new Bachelor in Paradise showrunner Scott Teti is trying to update ABC’s show to look more like that and other streaming series, and I see that as a very good thing.

I actually much prefer the new Costa Rican digs to the un-air-conditioned lodgings of previous seasons in Mexico. Is it on the same level as Love Island’s villa in Fiji? Maybe not, but it’s a definite upgrade from 2023’s Season 9. Tanner Tolbert continued:

I will absolutely give him the corny dream sequences. Bachelor in Paradise has always been a little silly, which is fine, but I don't like any part of the show to feel scripted, and that’s how some of those segments come off.

I disagree, however, that the hotel rooms are bad. We’re still seeing conversations happen in the rooms (the cameras follow them in the hotel more than they ever went into the sleeping quarters in Sayulita).

The former Bachelorette contestant concluded his rant with half-hearted hope that his reality show brethren can pull out a good season, writing:

Tanner Tolbert isn’t the only member of Bachelor Nation — or in his family — to throw some shade at their show. His wife Jade Roper, who first appeared on Chris Soules’ season, spoke out against the inclusion of Golden cast members, saying on social media that she would have been “very uncomfortable having six old men trying to hit on me constantly.”

I respect that and feel everyone’s comfort and safety should be considered. However, from what I’ve seen of the Goldens on Paradise so far, I think they’re the life of the party, and I am already obsessed with one (non-romantic) pairing.

Tune in to see if you agree with Tanner Tolbert and Jade Roper when Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 continues at 8 p.m. ET Monday, July 21, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Everything is just beachy for the Golden contestants on Bachelor in Paradise, where they breathed new life into the reality dating spinoff this week. But while that airs on the 2025 TV schedule, there’s some controversy behind the scenes of the franchise. The Golden Bachelor Season 2 lead Mel Owens came under fire for suggesting he wouldn’t date women over 60, and while a former cast member spoke out to defend him, I’m still unsure about the upcoming season.

Kathy Swarts Seems Unconcerned With The Golden Bachelor’s Comments

Kathy Swarts made a name for herself on Gerry Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor, primarily for telling eventual winner Theresa Nist to “zip it,” as well as for the friendship the Caitlyn Jenner look-alike formed with Kris Jenner doppelganger Susan Noles. After making her debut on Bachelor in Paradise Season 10, Swarts addressed Mel Owens’ comments about preferring to date women between the ages of 45 and 60, telling EW:

You have to love Kathy Swarts’ confidence, right? It sounds like she thinks there are plenty of women over 60 who are likely to check the boxes of what Mel Owens will be looking for on The Golden Bachelor Season 2.

The former NFL star went on a podcast in June, where he said he told The Bachelor producers that he preferred to date women under 60 and was planning on “cutting” anyone older than that. Kathy Swarts brushed the comments off, continuing:

I can see where The Golden Bachelor alum is coming from, but I can’t help but have reservations about what’s to come.

Why I’m Still Wary Of The Golden Bachelor Season 2

It may be true that Mel Owens will change his mind on dating women over 60 when he meets the contestants on his season, which is set to film this summer and air in the fall. For me, though, this threatens to put a damper on the Golden spinoffs, which have so far celebrated living life to the fullest at any age.

Bachelor Nation is already skeptical that any of these relationships are real, given the reality shows’ track record. There was so much backlash when Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist announced their divorce after three months of marriage. The Bachelor’s Grant Ellis similarly ended his engagement to Juliana Pasquarosa only three months after the season ended, and the most recent Bachelorette, Jenn Tran, had broken up with her fiancé before the finale even aired.

I’m just not convinced that The Golden Bachelor Season 2 is set up to give Bachelor Nation the win that it needs. However, Gerry Turner advised Mel Owens to keep an open mind to the women chosen for his season, and I will do my best to do the same for the upcoming spinoff.

No premiere date has been set, but you can catch some of your favorite Goldens on Bachelor in Paradise, which airs at 8 p.m. ET Mondays on ABC and streams the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Spoiler alert! This story discusses the July 15 episode of Bachelor in Paradise. If you’re not caught up, you can stream Season 10 with a Hulu subscription.

It may have taken two three-hour episodes to get here, but finally the Goldens have arrived on Bachelor in Paradise Season 10. Love was quick to start forming between the older, wiser members of the cast, and yes, there was definitely a bit of flirting across generational lines. Honestly, the Goldens breathed new life into the beach, and I’m already obsessed with one completely unexpected pair that shared an undeniable bond right from the start — Kat Izzo and April Kirkwood.

The 2025 TV schedule featured a special Tuesday episode of Bachelor in Paradise that saw the heartbreaking conclusion to Justin Glaze and Susie Evans’ rose ceremony drama and focused a lot on the rocky romance between Jeremy Simon and Bailey Brown. I could have done with a lot less Jeremy and a lot more of Kat and April’s fast friendship. Spencer Conley probably put it best when he said:

Honestly, talk about two peas in a pod. Kat showed April to the room that they are sharing — that’s right, they’re ROOMMATES! — and pointed out how they could watch the boys in the morning come back from their workouts. They even got serious, talking about how dating has changed since April was younger.

Kat Izzo and April Kirkwood appeared to be joined at the hip (when Kat wasn’t joined at the mouth with Dale Moss anyway), and I can’t believe they’d only just met each other. It seemed like they’d known each other forever, and apparently it felt like that to April, too, as The Golden Bachelor alum said:

The former Bachelor contestant agreed, saying:

Me too, girl. I’d be OK with shutting down the dating portion of this reality show and focusing solely on the girl chats between these two. I have no doubt they’re going to cause some trouble this season together, and I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so, as this Bachelor Nation fan posted:

Any chances of another Bachelor spinoff? Other comments rolled in during the episode, as fans wrote:

• I love Kat and April together – lRlSPATTON
• Kat is definitely April’s mini-me – ItsBachMonday
• April and Kat really are Mother/ Daughter – BRo_Amore
• “Kat is April in 40 years” IM ROLLING 😂😂 – basicbachgossip
• Kat and April being roomies makes so much sense – tmhsdaylight

I’ve got a feeling these two are going to bring the drama for the rest of Season 10. We saw what Kat Izzo is capable of on BiP Season 9, and April Kirkwood already kissed Jack Lencioni. She was also getting flirty with “Captain” Kim Buike and even Jonathon Johnson, as she made sure the 28-year-old knew which room was hers, "in case he needed her."

This woman is trouble, and I’m here for it.

In other Golden news, I also can’t wait to see what happens between RJ Johnson and Natascha Hardee. She said they formed a quick connection on the boat ride over, with her sitting on his lap and everything.

Already it definitely feels like Hannah Brown was right when she said the Goldens make everything better, and I really hope we get to see more of Kat Izzo peering into her future through her friendship with April Kirkwood.

Bachelor in Paradise continues at 8 p.m. ET Monday, July 21, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

Bachelor in Paradise is officially back on the 2025 TV schedule, and there are definitely plenty of changes afoot. One of the biggest additions to the reality dating spinoff is the introduction of The Golden Bachelor cast members, but if you tuned in for last week’s season premiere expecting to see Leslie Fhima, Gary Levingston and other fan favorites, you may have been disappointed. So when are the Goldens arriving on the beach? Here’s everything you need to know.

The Golden Bachelor Alums Will Arrive In Episode 3

I’m not sure why the first two episodes of Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 (available to stream with a Hulu subscription) haven't included the Goldens, but according to the show’s official Instagram page, Tuesday, July 15, is when they’ll make their grand entrance:

Wait, on a Tuesday? Yes, it appears for one night only, Bachelor in Paradise will deviate from its typical Monday schedule for a Tuesday episode. Unlike the first two super-sized Monday servings, though, the July 15 offering will (thankfully) only be two hours long. Five hours of BiP is a lot for one week, but if the Goldens are partying as hard as the rumors suggest, it should be worth it.

Who From The Golden Casts Will Be On Bachelor In Paradise Season 10?

With only two Golden seasons under the franchise’s belt, the cast members will be composed of the men and women that Gerry Turner and Joan Vassos dated on their seasons. Leslie Fhima and Gary Levingston were confirmed at Grant Ellis’ season finale of The Bachelor, and they’ll be joined by:

• April Kirkwood
• Kathy Swarts
• Natascha Hardee
• “CK” King
• Jack Lencioni
• Keith Gordon
• Kim Buike
• “RJ” Johnson

These are the Goldens who have been confirmed by ABC, but we’re likely to see a few more filter in as well.

Will The Older Contestants Be Dating The Younger Ones?

It was one of the most-talked-about topics coming into Bachelor in Paradise Season 10: whether there would be any intergenerational romance on the beach. Well, according to the season preview that aired at the end of the premiere, the answer is yes.

The promo shows someone asking, “Why are the oldies making out with the youngins?,” and Wells Adams confirmed he witnessed something that he can’t unsee. If you want to know who it allegedly is, we’ve got the spoiler, but we can probably rule out Gary Levingston, as he made it very clear he had no interest in dating someone the same age as his children.

The Decision To Add Goldens Was A Divisive One

The possibility of an age gap romance made the addition of the Goldens somewhat controversial. On one hand, they bring a lot of wisdom and life experience to the beach that they can impart on the young singles (not to mention how much fun they are!). Hannah Brown even said they made everything better.

However, some Bachelor alumni spoke out against the decision, saying the franchise shouldn’t encourage intergenerational relationships. One BiP alum said having older men on the beach would have made her feel uncomfortable on her season.

For me, I’m just hoping the vibes are good, and I can’t wait to see what the Goldens bring to the dating show. Tune in at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, July 15, on ABC to see how their journey kicks off.

Anyone who tuned in to watch the Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 premiere expecting to see The Golden Bachelor contestants on the beach were likely disappointed, as they won’t make their 2025 TV schedule debut until next week. We did, however, get a juicy preview of the season to come that showed the Goldens absolutely living it up, even alluding to an intergenerational makeout. Wells Adams was asked about it, and of course, the bartender had a unique perspective.

Wells Adams is on record as being hopeful for an age-gap romance, as Bachelor in Paradise welcomes the older contingent of contestants to the beach for the first time. After a trailer featured someone asking, “I don’t know what kind of Paradise this is, but why are the oldies making out with the youngins?,” Wells confirmed to US Weekly that he witnessed the moment in question, saying:

Consider yourself officially warned, Bachelor Nation. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. Rumors were floating around ahead of the Season 10 premiere about an intermingling between the two age groups (as well as an alleged spoiler regarding who the kiss involved). You can see the trailer below:

It’s been something of a controversial topic. Some Bachelor alumni have spoken out against the franchise for encouraging age-gap romances, and Kelly Ripa bristled at the idea when Jesse Palmer made an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark.

The Bachelor in Paradise host said cast members weren’t given restrictions as to who they could or couldn’t date. However, they were encouraged to stay in their generational lanes and ultimately told, “Just don’t make it weird.”

Wells Adams maintained there’s nothing inappropriate about having the different generations in the same space, pointing out:

I think he makes a good point. There’s also the question of whether the Goldens even have any interest in the younger cast members. Gary Levingston, for example, said he has no interest in dating people the same ages as his children.

Hannah Brown, who is new to this season of Bachelor in Paradise, said the Goldens “made everything better,” and rather than pursue their younger counterparts romantically, they offered advice and encouragement to the next generation.

It will definitely be interesting to see what happens on that beach, and soon we’ll all be able to join Wells Adams in not being able to unsee the action.

Bachelor in Paradise returns at 8 p.m. ET next Monday and Tuesday, July 14 and 15, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Anyone who tuned into Bachelor in Paradise’s Season 10 premiere on the 2025 TV schedule Monday could definitely tell the vibes are different this time around. In addition to the new digs — an air-conditioned resort in Costa Rica with a swim-up bar — the show had a completely different feel with stylized shots and dream-like sequences. New showrunner Scott Teti opened up about wanting to “elevate” the unserious spinoff, and I’m left with one big question — Did he really do away with the cheesy intro?

Scott Teti took over for Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich and Bennett Graebner, who have all exited the franchise since the last time Bachelor in Paradise aired in 2023. Teti told Variety that he wanted to basically give the series a glow-up to bring it on par with other popular dating shows, saying:

I personally loved the new look, and Hannah Brown had told me how producers were more hands-off this season, so I was really excited to see how that change was implemented. Scott Teti continued, saying that elevating the show to make it more cinematic included a shift in the comedic tone. He said:

When the showrunner says, “hitting viewers over the head with it,” that’s got include the silly intro package, which traditionally has introduced the cast sitcom-style, showing them in some self-deprecating situation, breaking the fourth wall as their name pops up on the screen, all to the tune of “Almost Paradise” by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson.

It was kind of a love-it-or-hate-it segment of the show (I was a fan), and others on social media were definitely missing it too, as X users commented:

• I miss the cheesy “Almost Paradise” intro – Jmo_duckling
• Idk about this new editing style but if they get rid of the Almost Paradise song intro we’ll riot. – iironicaa
• I’m willing to give them some leeway with the new creative direction, up until they try to replace the goofy almost paradise opening montage. – natalie_marina
• We’re gonna get the theme song and silly intros back next week now that we’ve met the core group, right???? right???? – omgitsemilyward

I wondered the exact same thing. I’m not sure we’ve always gotten the “Almost Paradise” intro in the season premiere, so I was holding out hope that it might return next week. However, after reading Scott Teti’s whole theory about the comedy, it’s sounding like he may have moved on from that. The showrunner concluded:

We’ll have to wait until next week to see if Bachelor in Paradise brings back the intro, possibly with a twist to satisfy Scott Teti’s creative vision. Two episodes will air next week, during its regular Monday slot at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, and then at the same time Tuesday, when we’ll welcome the hard-partying Goldens! All episodes are also available to stream the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Spoiler alert! I’ll be discussing the Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 premiere live as it happens July 7. Episodes are available to stream live the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Fellow members of Bachelor Nation, we have made it. After getting no new Bachelor in Paradise in 2024, the reality dating spinoff is making its triumphant return to the 2025 TV schedule. Tonight’s Season 10 premiere is three hours long, and while I’ve made my opinion on three-hour episodes known, nothing could keep me away from this premiere. There are big changes coming to this season, and I’ll be here to talk out all of them.

Tonight we’ll meet our first wave of Season 10 cast members, and for now that will only include alumni from The Bachelor/Bachelorette — Goldens will make their grand entrance next Tuesday. With that said, grab your popcorn and pina coladas, and let’s hit the beach!

Welcome To Costa Rica!

It sure is good to be back on the beach, and I can’t wait to see what the new filming location has to offer! I hear there’s air conditioning this season … hello, upgrade! Anyway, thanks for watching along with me tonight!

What. Happened. On. This. Beach?

All right, I’m into this. We open to the “Final Day of Paradise,” with the beach looking like a hurricane decimated it. Furniture everywhere, a bikini top hanging off of an umbrella and a sunburnt Jesse Palmer laid out on a lawn chair. Then a quick rewind of the events that preceded it. I saw twerking, I saw a bag of money, lots of engagement rings, rose ceremonies, kissing, Goldens, kissing Goldens.

A better person than me will go frame by frame and break down all of that. Not me, friends, we’ve got more Paradising to do.

Spencer Conley And Alexe Godin Are First Arrivals

We officially have singles on the beach! Spencer Conley from Jenn Tran's season and Alexe Godin from Grant Ellis' season are the first man and woman of Season 10. Historically that means they're hoping for long runs and big love stories, so we'll have to see what happens ....

Alexe seemed so funny on The Bachelor, so I'm looking forward to seeing more of her on BiP.

No More 'Almost Paradise'?

Rather than the traditional intro package that we're used to - with the cast members usually doing something stupid to the tune of "Almost Paradise," we just got the logo and a short burst of the song. I don't know if that means they've done away with the silly intros for Season 10, or if they'll start it next week after the majority of the cast is on the beach.

Nobody Else Remembers Who Kyle Is Either

If you don't recognize Kyle Howard from Katie Thurston's season, you're not alone. That seems to be the same as everybody else there.

I can already see this being a running gag. "What's his name again?"

Arrivals ... And More Arrivals.

The 3-hour runtime is starting to make sense. We're a half-hour into the show already, and pretty much all we've seen is people getting out of cars. It's getting a little repetitive, but at least with over 2 hours to go, there will still be plenty of time for drama.

Also, the show looks great, and everybody looks amazing! (Even if we're all struggling to remember who they are. Right? Just me?)

Wow With The Khakis!

Finally, we've got Jesse Palmer officially opening Paradise and introducing Wells Adams (YES to the swim-up bar) and Hannah Brown! These guys look like they just walked away from the popular kids table in the cafeteria of a '90s teen movie.

New Life Goal: Stay At A Resort Where You Can Swim From Your Room To The Bar.

These accommodations are WILD! I love that they get their own beds in the air conditioning. It's like every room could be the Boom Boom Room! I am such a sucker for a swim-up bar, too.

Oh No, Not The Bugs!

Well, it took less than an hour to ruin Paradise. I'm like Bailey Brown and Kat Izzo here. If there's that many bugs, I'm out.

OK, I’m Loving Spencer And Jess Together.

We have our FIRST KISS IN PARADISE! Things seem to be getting pretty serious pretty quick for Jess Edwards and Spencer Conley. They bonded over their trauma of being cheated on, and then frolicked in the waves. They are cute.

Kyle called it. Spencer and Jess are getting married.

Dale Moss Has Shut Down Paradise!

Well, well, well, Clare Crawley's ex-fiance Dale Moss has made it to the beach - on a yacht no less - and wow did everybody take note:

• Ricky: Handsome, perfect smile, clear eyes. Like what? Was he made in a lab?
• Kat: He's a man. Dale Moss, definitely a lot of man. He's a whole man, let me just tell you that.
• Hakeem: Dude mad handsome.
• Alexe: Oh my goodness, who is this tall, beautiful blue-eyed man?
• Bailey: I'm kind of just like [expletive] a brick right now. I'm just like, 'Oh my God. He's so attractive.'
• Brian: Tall, dark, handsome, absolute stud.

I love how they all clocked that Dale's abs made defined sweat marks on the front of his shirt. Paradise will never be the same.

'We Love A Tired Man.'

I am dying over Kat Izzo's "men above the age of 30" TED Talk:

• "Any man above the age of 30, testosterone's a little lower, so they're a little bit more sleepier. We love a tired man, OK?"

Y'all stop online bullying this girl, she is funny.

Kat's Got The Wrong Kind Of Butterflies In Her Stomach.

If I'm seasick, I really don't think making out with someone is going to help the situation. Kat Izzo didn't seem bothered by it, but oh man, I was starting to feel a little queasy on her behalf. 🤢

Our First Informational Exercise!

OK, calling this activity an "Informational Exercise" is the worst branding ever, but I actually kind of love this "getting to know you" kind of game.

• Jonathon: "Why do I get Squid Games vibes?"

Definitely some interesting factoids here.

Hakeem And Ricky Are Having The Most 'Vanilla' Argument Ever

OK, so Ricky Marinez called Hakeem Moulton's factoids about himself "vanilla," and now they're arguing over it. Great job, Ricky, you just gave Alexe the ick.

Wells Bringing The Golden Humor Already (Or Trying To)

The Goldens aren't even here yet, but Wells Adams is ready with the jokes. When Sam McKinney walked up to the bar, Wells asked how he'd made his big arrival:

• Sam: It was a 1968 Harley. Dude, it was the oldest thing I have ever been on.
• Wells: There's still time, the Goldens are coming.

Sam found the joke funny, but otherwise it was crickets, and I don't think anybody even heard Wells acknowledge that his joke had flown over everyone's heads. It's hard out here for a bartender.

Two Hours In, And The Love Triangles Are Triangulating!

The first episode of Bachelor in Paradise typically features the formation of a love triangle, and it looks like we've got at least two:

• Alexe, Ricky, Jonathon: Alexe really seems more into Jonathon, but Ricky must be a damn good kisser, because that's keeping him alive for now. I can understand why he does not want to be up against Jonathon, who is, "like, perfect," in his words. Oof that's hard to argue.
• Jess, Spencer, Sam: Jess and Spencer look practically married already, so what in the world is she doing on a date with Sam? Do not ruin this for me, McKinney!

'No Woman Wants A Man That Can Wear Her Pants.'

Thanks to Spencer for these words of wisdom. Out of context, I can't tell if this is supposed to be a Sam McKinney insult, or if the editors just threw this in randomly while their love triangle was being discussed.

A Zoe McGrady Appreciation Post

I love that Zoe McGrady is continuing the color scheme she started on Grant Ellis' season of The Bachelor in wearing predominantly green. We've seen three different iterations of green outfits tonight so far, and I hope this continues for as long as she's on this season.

That's not to say there aren't other colors mixed in (we also saw orange and yellow), but it just brings me joy to see that the green is back.

Is Justin Glaze's Past Relationship With Susie Evans Going To Hurt Him Here?

It seems strange that people in Bachelor Nation would worry too much about dating the same people. That is the entire purpose of the franchise after all. However, Lexi Young feels really hung up on the fact that Justin Glaze and Susie Evans dated, and it sounds like it might prevent her from exploring a connection with him.

Wells Adams Is Making Drinks But Spilling Tea.

It seems like Wells Adams is just gonna bring the shade this season. He's got eyes and ears on everything, and he's definitely not afraid to share his thoughts:

• "You've got Ricky, who comes on so strong, like a guy who's got way too much cologne in an elevator."
• "Then you've got Kyle who's just, like, so passive and just like, 'I'll be waiting when you're ready!'"
• "Bailey and Jeremy ... Am I the only one that's thinking that Bailey is way out of his league? I mean, the guy is redder than a tomato."
• "I think [Jess'] heart is saying Sam, and I think her brain is being like, 'We gotta stay with the golden retriever here that looks like Clark Kent.'"

Wait, did he say Jeremy was out of Bailey's league because he got a sunburn?

Hakeem Makes This Spiral Look Good.

This man is going all out to secure a rose, and I'm not sure it's going to work in his favor, but I am LOVING the white suit with the pink shirt.

Rose Ceremony Results

We've reached the end of Paradise's first week! So who are the couples sticking around for more? Remember, the women gave out roses tonight:

• Lexi and Justin
• Zoe and Brian
• Kat and Dale
• Jess and Spencer
• Bailey and Jeremy
• Alexe and Jonathon

That means that Sam McKinney, Kyle Howard (who?), Hakeem Moulton and Ricky Marinez are on their way out after just one week. At least they got a three-hour episode.

'Sorry, Memaw.'

The rose ceremony provided a great moment, when Spencer and Jess shared quite the steamy kiss after he received her rose. Somebody (I couldn't tell who!) commented that Spencer's pants looked a little tighter, Jesse Palmer said:

• "This is a family show, just remember."

Just to have them reply:

• "Sorry, Memaw."

Ouch, not bringing out the "Memaw!" I'm dead.

BRING ON THE GOLDENS!

Yeah, I want to stay at that beautiful resort in the air conditioned rooms and swim from my room to the bar with all the men with their ab-sweated shirts. But I didn't get true FOMO until I saw the preview of the Goldens absolutely tearing it up in Paradise.

I officially want to party like I'm 65.

Thanks For Following Along!

This was a pretty good start to Bachelor in Paradise Season 10, and honestly the three hours flew by much quicker than it does for season finales, so no complaints here! Tune in to see what goes down in Costa Rica when BiP continues at 8 p.m. ET next Monday, July 14, on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

A new season of Bachelor in Paradise is just days away from its premiere on the 2025 TV schedule, and The Bachelor has officially been renewed for a milestone 30th season in 2026. Amidst the excitement for what’s to come, however, trouble has struck Bachelor Nation again. A month after The Golden Bachelor Season 2 lead Mel Owens made some controversial comments on a podcast, Jesse Palmer has broken his silence, as has Season 1 lead Gerry Turner.

Jesse Palmer Responds To Mel Owens Saying He’s ‘Cutting’ Any Woman Over 60

ABC and 66-year-old Mel Owens (pictured above) are under fire following comments he made on a podcast in June, in which the new Golden Bachelor said he preferred to date women between 45 and 60. He went on to say he would eliminate anyone over that age range immediately and asked producers to “stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs.” The Bachelor franchise host Jesse Palmer addressed the situation, telling US Weekly:

Jesse Palmer remained pretty diplomatic about the discourse surrounding The Golden Bachelor, saying that he’ll likely discuss the issue with Mel Owens when filming starts. That definitely makes it sound — at least as far as Palmer knows — like ABC is moving forward with the NFL star-turned-lawyer as its lead.

There have been conflicting reports since the podcast comments went viral that The Golden Bachelor was recasting its Season 2 lead. Reality Steve posted on X that he heard “Mel Owens is OUT” and to expect an official announcement soon. However, that story was refuted by The Sun, which reported that ABC is sticking with Owens. On his July 4 podcast, Reality Steve walked back his initial statement but maintained that it’s not a done deal, saying:

While we wait for any official word from ABC, another relevant member of Bachelor Nation also gave his thoughts on the situation.

Former Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner Weighs In On Mel Owens Controversy

The first-ever Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner is no stranger to controversy, as many in Bachelor Nation turned against him when his marriage to Theresa Nist ended after just three months. While he can come at the situation from a place of empathy, even Turner reportedly called Mel Owens’ comments a bad look.

He allegedly told TMZ that it would be a mistake for Mel Owens to close himself off to dating women of all ages. Gerry Turner said he also gave producers an age range, with 65 being the minimum age for the septuagenarian, but they asked him to keep an open mind to dating women as young as 60.

Of course, convincing Gerry Turner to date younger women is a completely different situation than convincing Mel Owens to date older. But Turner points out that things like age and artificial hips shouldn’t matter — he said he has a pickleball friend with a fake hip who smokes him on the court.

It’ll be interesting to see if and how The Golden Bachelor addresses this situation and if Mel Owens does indeed continue to lead Season 2. In the meantime, you’ll be able to catch some of your favorite Golden alumni on Bachelor in Paradise Season 10, which premieres at 8 p.m. ET Monday, July 7, on ABC and streaming with a Hulu subscription.

We’re less than a week away from Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 hitting the 2025 TV schedule, and there’s both excitement and nervousness surrounding the revamped reality dating spinoff. After a disastrous ninth season and one-year hiatus, changes are coming, including the addition of contestants from The Golden Bachelor. Host Jesse Palmer spoke out again about potential age-gap romances after his and Wells Adams’ previous comments drew backlash from alumni.

Jesse Palmer paid a visit to Live with Kelly and Mark this week, and Kelly Ripa expressed concern about relationships forming between Golden cast members and their younger counterparts. The host confirmed it was an issue that he brought up with the dating show contestants, saying:

Jesse Palmer reminded the talk show hosts that the Goldens are “deserving” of another chance at love, too, and he admits he encouraged The Bachelor/Bachelorette alums to get to know them — just not for the purposes of romance. He said:

Kelly Ripa wasn’t the only one who was nonplussed with the idea of combining the casts of the two shows. Rachael Kirkconnell said she didn’t think age-gap relationships should be encouraged, while Jade Roper — who met her husband Tanner Courtad on Bachelor in Paradise Season 2 — said she would have been uncomfortable in that situation when she was on the show.

These comments followed Wells Adams (and Jesse Palmer, possibly to a lesser degree) expressing “hope” that there would be some co-mingling between the two age groups. As for whether or not it happened, the host played it coy, saying:

Jesse Palmer may not be willing to reveal what happened on the beach ahead of the Season 10 premiere, but The Golden Bachelorette’s Gary Levingston had no issue saying what didn’t happen. Speaking to the possibility of Goldens dating the 20- and 30-somethings, he said viewers can “rest assured, we’re not going to be dating the younger kids.”

The Bachelor in Paradise discourse over dating age comes at an interesting time for the franchise, as ABC and its Season 2 Golden Bachelor Mel Owens are under fire for viral comments he made on a podcast. In discussing the casting process, the 66-year-old said on the In the Trenches show that he told The Golden Bachelor producers he would eliminate any woman over the age of 60 on his season.

Seeing as The Golden Bachelor has never had a cast member under 60 (The Golden Bachelorette included one 59-year-old), it’ll be interesting to see how things play out now that the podcast quote has made the rounds.

In the meantime, though, I’ll be tuning in to see our revamped Bachelor in Paradise when Season 10 premieres at 8 p.m. ET Monday, July 7, on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.