Rachael Kirkconnell can’t wait to watch Taylor Frankie Paul hand out roses on The Bachelorette.
“I’m really excited for her, [and] I hope everyone’s nice to her,” Rachael, 28, exclusively told Us Weekly at the Raising Cane’s NYFW party on Wednesday, September 10. “I know that it’s, like, a scary thing being thrown into that world, but she already kind of has a taste of it. So yeah, I’m really excited for her.”
ABC announced on Wednesday that the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, 31, would be the next Bachelorette, marking the first time that the franchise has cast another reality TV star as the lead.
“I think that it seemed like it just needed a little refresh,” Rachael, who broke up with former Bachelor Matt James earlier this year, added to Us. “I think that she’s gonna do exactly that. I’m excited.”
Bachelor Nation Reacts to Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette Casting
As for Taylor, she’s more than ready to find The One on the rose-filled dating show.
“What I’m most looking forward to is meeting a handful of people that are outside my bubble — and even if there’s a couple in there, that’s OK — but I’m just excited to get to know different perspectives and new parts about myself too,” Taylor recently told Us. “[But] it’s out of my comfort zone, so, obviously, it’s scary. You’re dealing with feelings — and you’re dealing with other people’s feelings — and I don’t really like to hurt other people’s feelings, especially when you’re being vulnerable and open.”
Taylor, who is a member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, is also open to getting engaged on her journey. (Taylor was previously married to Tate Paul, with whom she shares two children. She is also mom to son Ever, whom she welcomed in 2024 with ex Dakota Mortensen.)
“As my mom likes to say, I do fall in love quickly, and that’s also the reason I did it,” Taylor teased of finding love. “I always call myself a lover girl because I, like, fall for people and I have done that in the past. Obviously, I got married young, and the first guy I dated was my second baby daddy — so it was just very quick.”
She added, “This time, it’s going to be really cool, because … now I’m about to date, you know, 20 [or] 30 guys, and I’ve never done that before. I’m going to take my time, I’m going to kind of, like, get to know people.”
The Bachelorette premieres on ABC in 2026.
With reporting by Katerina Cotroneo
