Bachelor Nation
7 Burning Questions About Taylor Frankie Paul’s ‘Bachelorette’ Season 22 We Need Answered
Looking at the drastic difference between this past season of Bachelor in Paradise and the seasons prior, it’s clear BIP has entered a new era. Will the new season of The Bachelorette follow suit?
On September 10, The Bachelor took to Alex Cooper‘s Call Her Daddy to announce the franchise’s newest lead. While many believed the podcast would be used to announce the lead of The Bachelor Season 30, which had been heavily teased, Cooper shocked fans by introducing breakout star Taylor Frankie Paul from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives as the new Bachelorette.
Marking the first Bachelorette season with a lead selected from outside of the franchise, Season 22 already looks a little different from its predecessors. However, based on the MomTok star’s time on Call Her Daddy, it’s clear that the season’s lead switch-up won’t be the only change this season. The podcast even teased that Paul’s lack of Bachelor knowledge is an exciting opportunity to lean into a change of format.
From Bachelor Mansion to Fantasy Suites, there are plenty of The Bachelor/The Bachelorette staples that fans know to expect and love to see every season. While previous seasons of the show rarely came with any level of uncertainty when it comes to franchise traditions, looking at Season 10 of Bachelor in Paradise, it’s clear that change is on the horizon.
Scroll to find out our seven burning questions heading into The Bachelorette Season 22. After all, with franchise newbie Taylor Frankie Paul handing out the roses, it’s clear that anything is possible!
ABC
1. Will The Bachelorette Season 22 be filmed at Bachelor Mansion?
Let’s face it, Bachelor Mansion is a central character at the beginning of almost every season of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. That’s why fans were shocked during the last season of The Bachelorette, when Jenn Tran awaited her contestant’s limo entrances at Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Simi Valley, California, the mansion used for ABC’s celebrity relatives reality competition, Claim to Fame, instead of the franchise’s typical abode, Villa de la Vina in Agoura Hills, California.
While the last season of The Bachelorette may have seen a location shift, Joan Vassos‘ season of The Golden Bachelorette and Grant Ellis‘ season of The Bachelor, which have both premiered since, were both shot at Villa de la Vina. For that reason, we’d assume that the franchise has returned home. However, it’s anyone’s guess if Paul’s season will be filmed at Bachelor Mansion or somewhere new. Maybe Utah?!
2. Will The Bachelorette Season 22 only feature Mormon contestants?
Seeing as Paul is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, fans of The Bachelorette have started to question if the series’ newest lead will date beyond her religion. Luckily, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star let Call Her Daddy listeners in on her religious dating preferences. Spoiler alert! This will not be a Mormons-only season, but there will likely be a religious angle.
On the topic of religion, Paul stated, “I do preferably want someone that, you know, does believe in God.” According to the MomTok star, faith plays an important role in parenting as a couple. “When you’re raising your children, and it can get confusing when one [parent] does and one doesn’t. I do think about those things.”
That being said, Paul is open to contestants from all religious backgrounds. She revealed to listeners, “I’m up for hearing their side of it because I have been also told, ‘Look,’ ou believe so firmly in something and I can respect that.’ But there is also, ‘I don’t believe in it, and maybe you can respect that,’ because we both don’t have proof on it.” Ultimately, the lead revealed that she is looking for the foundational religious qualities in her partner. She told listeners (and potential cast members), “love, family, service, all the basics is what I really care about. And how you treat other people. I don’t really care what religion you are. How do you treat other people? That is what I look at.”
Disney / Fred Hayes
3. Will this be a sober season?
MomTok viewers know that Paul opts for dirty sodas over alcohol. Seeing as cocktail parties and champagne toasts are central to the show’s general format, we can’t help but wonder if all of her contestants will abstain as well.
Longtime Bachelor fans will know that production places a strict limit on their contestants to minimize alcohol consumption on set. Even so, two drinks per hour during those long filming days have to add up. While we’re not convinced the lead’s drinking preferences will have a house-wide impact, it would be interesting to see how the typical cast dynamic would change during a full season without the influence of alcohol.
4. Will there still be an engagement at the end of the season?
Does the fact that we’re getting a Bachelor x Mormon Wives franchise crossover mean that we won’t be getting an engagement? After all, making a celebrity the lead could indicate that there is a different contract at play.
Paul has made it clear she has had two serious relationships with the father of her children, ex-husband Tate Paul and ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. For that reason, she knows that an engagement—and a marriage—have to be taken very seriously. She also added that her final rose recipient has to move to her home in Utah because she is not relocating her three children for a man.
5. Why did The Bachelorette choose an outside lead?
Traditionally, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette leads are chosen from the pool of eliminated contestants from a previous season. However, heading into Season 30 of The Bachelor, the franchise hired a new casting team that openly advertised that they were looking for “the actual guy handing out roses.” Now, The Bachelorette is following suit.
Many outlets have speculated that this outside pull is “a franchise-saving move,” seeing as the franchise has seen a decline in viewership during recent years. As The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has received such high viewership, this choice could bring a lot of returning and new viewers to The Bachelor franchise.
6. Why is Bachelor Nation undergoing so many changes?
Heading into Season 10 of Bachelor in Paradise, Scott Teti took over as the showrunner, leading to drastic changes in the show’s format. Teti was also intended to be the executive producer of Season 30 of The Bachelor. Now that The Bachelorette is on its way instead, Deadline confirmed that Teti will stay on as EP.
7. Will there still be a new season of The Bachelor in 2026?
At this point, we don’t know if there will be a new season of The Bachelor next year. The Season 30 could be found from Paul’s batch of men.
Be sure to check back on Swooon for more Bachelor Nation updates as they are announced! How do you feel about the new Bachelorette? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The Bachelorette, Season 22, 2026, ABC
