PRODUCERS behind The Bachelorette quietly overhauled a chunk of the cast after choosing Taylor Frankie Paul as the next lead in a bid to add more ‘spice’ to the upcoming season.

When it was announced that the sassy and sexy Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star was snagged by ABC for season 22 of the dating series, the crew worked tirelessly to change out some men that would ensure a better match.

 

Taylor Frankie Paul, from The Bachelorette, holds a red rose.
Taylor Frankie Paul holds up the coveted rose after being cast as the upcoming lead on The BacheloretteCredit: Getty
 

Taylor Frankie Paul wearing a red gown and holding "The Book of More Men" in front of a stained glass window.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star films cheeky ABC promo that plays off of The Book of MormonCredit: Disney
Insiders told The U.S. Sun the changes were designed to bring more “spice” to the season and better complement the reality star’s unconventional background.

According to a production source, the original shortlist of suitors looked very different before mom-of-three Taylor, 31, was locked in as the star of the upcoming season.

“They had a list of men that wasn’t the official cast, but more so the working list, before ABC even booked Taylor.

“About half of the cast was swapped out after it was confirmed Taylor would be the lead to find suitors more tailored to her.”

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The source continued: “No disrespect to the men who were considered before, they were all fantastic.

“But they were a little more cookie cutter and the producers were looking for more spice or maybe some guys implied they weren’t wanting someone with children.

“There’s a few factors for why so many men got swapped out but those were the main two reasons.”

All The Single Dads

One of the most notable changes to the lineup is the higher-than-normal number of single fathers, something longtime viewers rarely see in one season.

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Brandon from "The Bachelorette" smiling at the camera.
Brandon is a single dad whose world ‘revolves around his amazing kids’
 

Christopher, a contestant on The Bachelorette, smiling at the camera.

Christopher is a devoted dad and proud Air Force veteranCredit: Disney

Matt from The Bachelorette.
Matt is a ‘proud father of three’ looking to find his ‘forever person’ on The BacheloretteCredit: Disney
Three contestants – Brandon, Christopher and Matt – were all already fathers before taking a chance to compete for Taylor’s heart.

Having multiple men with children in the cast is considered atypical, though not unheard of, for the franchise, which historically has skewed toward younger contestants without children.

But the source said Taylor was ultimately thrilled with the final group chosen for her.

“Taylor was really happy with the group of men chosen for her.

“She had no complaints there and thought it was a good variety of backgrounds, ages, interests, jobs, etc.

“She liked that some men had kids but some didn’t and liked that some had been married before too.”

‘Easiest’ Lead in Years

Despite early concerns about how the social media star would adapt to the pressures of filming, production staff were pleasantly surprised by Taylor’s attitude on set.

“Taylor was actually really easy to work with,” the source revealed.

“I think there were some fears she may have been a diva heading into it because of her Mormon Wives persona but she was really down to earth and got along with the crew really well.

“She was surprisingly up for whatever the show threw at her and had a really good attitude throughout filming.

“In terms of the leads, she has been the easiest and most enjoyable the team has worked with in years.”

Taylor’s Rocky Road

Taylor first rose to fame as a TikTok personality before gaining wider attention through her role on Hulu‘s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

She was previously married to Tate Paul, with whom she shares two children.

The pair divorced in 2022 following a highly publicized split that played out across social media.

Taylor and Tate share daughter Indy and son Ocean together.

After the divorce, Taylor later welcomed a third child, son Ever, with her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen.

Taylor and Dakota have since had a tumultuous breakup, which played out in front of Hulu cameras.

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Now stepping into the spotlight as the new Bachelorette, the mom of three is hoping the revamped cast – including several single dads – could finally lead her to lasting love.

The Bachelorette premieres on Sunday, March 22nd at 8pm ET on ABC.

Mormon TikTok star Taylor Frankie Paul with her two children, all wearing matching grey outfits.

Taylor, pictured here with a two of her cute kids, is a mom-of-threeCredit: Instagram/Taylor Frankie Paul

Mayci Neeley and Taylor Frankie Paul in a scene from "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."

The reality star films tense scenes for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives