When The Golden Bachelor received a casting Emmy nomination in 2024, it broke a major dry spell. That was the first-ever Emmy recognition for the ABC franchise — which also includes The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise — after being a staple of American reality TV for more than two decades.
Fast-forward to today, and Taylor Frankie Paul could be the key for The Bachelorette to finally earn some Emmy Awards attention.
The just-announced star of Season 22 comes from the hugely popular Hulu reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which earned a Best Unstructured Reality Program nomination this year in its very first run. This Emmy nod shows that voters already recognize her star power — so will they follow the now-single Mormon influencer into The Bachelorette spotlight?
Paul doesn’t just appear on Hulu’s sultry reality TV show — she is arguably the main reason it exists. In 2022, she went viral on her “MomTok” TikTok channel after revealing that many of the mothers in her circle had been swinging with each other. Producers Jeff Jenkins and Russell Jay-Staglik quickly tapped her and other influencers to create what has been dubbed a religious version of The Real Housewives.
“She’s an absolute unscripted superstar,” Jenkins told Gold Derby about Paul. “When you meet her in person, she’s witty, engaging, and magnetic. But when that camera is on her, there’s a spark that is indescribable. I could watch Taylor opening her mail.”
Paul’s 2023 domestic violence arrest against her ex, Dakota Mortensen — documented in the premiere episode of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — added another layer of complexity to her public persona. This period of turmoil marked the beginning of a rebuilding phase for the Salt Lake City native, ultimately culminating in her casting as The Bachelorette.
The program has never before been led by a woman outside of the franchise, so Paul has already made history with her casting. Previous stars of The Bachelorette include Jenn Tran, Charity Lawson, Rachel Recchia, and Gabby Windey — the latter also crowned the winner of The Traitors Season 3.
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While it’s still uncertain if Paul can deliver Emmy recognition to the long-running franchise, The Golden Bachelor proved that voters are willing to take a second look at the brand. With the right star and concept — like 72-year-old Gerry Turner dating senior women — even The Bachelor universe can earn an Emmy nomination.
Other unscripted dating shows such as Love on the Spectrum, Love Is Blind, and Indian Matchmaking have already gained recognition from the Television Academy, raising the question: why not The Bachelor?
However, the franchise carries heavy baggage. Critics have long accused it of being less authentic than rival shows, overly produced, and even misogynistic. Former creator Mike Fleiss faced criminal charges for alleged harassment and assault, which he denied, but stepped down in 2023 after Warner Bros. TV reportedly investigated him for racial discrimination and bullying.
The original host, Chris Harrison, also left in 2021 after defending a contestant who had attended an antebellum-themed party, sparking backlash linked to slavery and racial segregation.
Meanwhile, Disney is heavily invested in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Two of its breakout stars, Jennifer Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, are set to appear on Dancing With the Stars Season 34, premiering Sept. 16 on ABC and Disney+. Season 3 of Mormon Wives drops Nov. 13 on Hulu, while the premiere date for The Bachelorette Season 22 remains unannounced.
