The Bachelorette 2026: Taylor Frankie Paul Makes History as Season 22 Arrives in One Week
The Bachelorette 2026 is less than eight days away and the buzz has never been louder. Season 22 premieres Sunday, March 22 on ABC, starring Taylor Frankie Paul — a 31-year-old single mom, TikTok powerhouse, and star of Hulu's Emmy-nominated The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. She is the first Bachelorette in the franchise's entire 22-season history to come from outside Bachelor Nation.
Before the First Rose: Special Preview TONIGHT After the Oscars
The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose — a special half-hour preview — airs tonight, Sunday March 15, immediately following the live telecast of the 98th Academy Awards on ABC and Hulu. The special features 18 former Bachelorettes looking back on their journeys and offering advice to Taylor Frankie Paul, including Trista Sutter, JoJo Fletcher, Rachel Lindsay, Hannah Brown-Woolard, Tayshia Adams, Katie Thurston, and Joan Vassos.
That is a must-watch for any fan wanting to get ready before the full Season 22 premiere next Sunday.
Who Is Taylor Frankie Paul?
Taylor Frankie Paul is a 31-year-old divorced mother of three from Utah who built her platform through #MomTok before becoming a breakout star on Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. She has 2.3 million Instagram followers and 6 million TikTok followers.
Her ABC bio describes her as ready to "trade headline-making heartbreak for hometown dates," with producers calling her raw, unfiltered storytelling style a perfect fit for a franchise that needed fresh energy.
She is unafraid of controversy. Before becoming the Bachelorette 2026 lead, Paul went viral for pulling back the curtain on Salt Lake City's soft-swinging social scene — a detail that has fueled debates across Bachelor Nation about whether she is truly ready for the commitment the franchise demands.
Notable Contestants in the Season 22 Cast
The final cast of 22 men was announced on February 23, 2026. Notable contestants include Clayton Johnson — the ex-fiancé of Lana Del Rey — and Paralympian Trenten Merrill. The men range in age from 28 to 44.
Where Was The Bachelorette 2026 Filmed?
Filming began October 26, 2025, in Agoura Hills, California, before heading to Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Miami, Florida. The season concluded filming in Saint Lucia in December 2025.
Taylor Frankie Paul Teases the Ending
Taylor Frankie Paul has described The Bachelorette 2026 finale as filled with "lots of different emotions," teasing that the ending is dramatic and unpredictable even by franchise standards.
Spoiler watchers have also noted buzz linking Paul to Dancing With the Stars following the conclusion of filming, suggesting her TV career is far from over regardless of how her journey ends.
When and Where to Watch The Bachelorette 2026
The Bachelorette Season 22 premieres Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 8:01 p.m. ET on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu and Disney+. The season is expected to wrap around Sunday, May 17, 2026.
The special preview The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose airs tonight after the Oscars on ABC — the perfect warm-up for the most unconventional Bachelorette 2026 season the franchise has ever produced.
