Rachel Lindsay is weighing in on the surprising announcement that The Bachelorette’s new leading lady will be Taylor Frankie Paul, who is the breakout star of the popular Hulu reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
The 40-year-old former Bachelorette took to Instagram to share her candid thoughts, laughing as she began. “Okay, I woke up to this this morning and I was flooded with messages about my thoughts. I know it’s been a while since I’ve had anything to say about The Bachelor, but this is the kind of stuff that brings me back. Guys, I think this is great. I think this is fantastic.”
Lindsay then acknowledged how fans of the franchise would be divided since Frankie Paul hasn’t been involved in the franchise whatsoever.
“People are upset because it’s something new. We were supposed to get a Bachelor season, and instead we’re getting a Bachelorette — and not just any Bachelorette, but someone completely outside the franchise,” she explained. “But let’s be honest, they have to try something different. The fairytale format is over. If they want to compete with other shows, they’ve got to jump into the chaos. And this is chaos.”
Meanwhile, Paul herself admits she wasn’t sure she could even accept the role.
In a recent interview with Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper, the mother of three explained her initial hesitations on starring on the show. “In my head I’m like, ‘How do I make this work?’ I’m a coparent. I have two baby daddies, not one, so I’m dealing with two different people. My children, my home base is here. Can I travel that long? Can I be gone that long?”
She then told Cooper that watching other moms who also star in The Secret Life of Mormon Wives compete on Dancing With the Stars made her consider what was possible.
“The other two moms in my group are doing Dancing With the Stars and they brought their families out. But they have their husbands with them. For me, I’m like, ‘Is this possible for me to do as a single mom? Can I make it work realistically no matter how much I want this?’”
Eventually, she decided to take the leap. “I was like, ‘I can. If I want to, I can.’ I will make it work. I have a team of people that I don’t think I utilize. I can ask for more help — and I don’t usually.”
With Lindsay calling her season “a hot mess” (in the best way) and Paul herself embracing this unique challenge, one thing is certain and that is that Bachelor Nation won’t be able to look away!
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