29-year-old Tayshia Adams will replace Clare Crawley mid-season on The Bachelorette.
Sources told Entertainment Tonight that the switch happened because Crawley fell in love with one of the contestants and chose to end her time on the show.
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The news was formally announced after Crawley returned to social media and liked a fan’s tweet that said Adams should become the Bachelorette.
The show confirmed the change today.
The show is filming in Palm Springs, California. All cast and crew are staying on the property for the duration and extreme safety precautions are being followed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Adams is the second African American woman to be the Bachelorette. The first was Rachel Lindsay during season 13 in 2017. She told Entertainment Tonight that she is “thrilled” to see Adams join the franchise.
“I have been fighting for inclusion, and I‘ve said before that Tayshia would be an excellent Bachelorette, so I am more than happy to pass the torch,” Lindsay said.
“I am so excited to see what she’s going to do, how she will represent herself and her journey to find love. Now she’s in the driver’s seat, and I’m excited to see her get this opportunity.”
This season, The Bachelor is also African American. Matt James, 28, is a real estate broker and entrepreneur. His season will premiere in 2021.
Adams is unable to make public statements or use social media during filming. However, Lindsay expressed that choosing Adams was a step forward.
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“I do still want to see some additional producers of all colors brought in, but change is being made and I’m happy to see it.”
Since the show’s production was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic, the exact date that it will come back is unclear. Producers have just said, “soon.”
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