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Bachelor Nation fan-favorites, Mike Johnson and Tayshia Adams
A fan-favorite of Bachelor Nation is throwing his support behind presumed new Bachelorette, Tayshia Adams. While discussing his new book, Making the Love You Want, Mike Johnson weighed in on his former Bachelor in Paradise castmate.
“She’s a graceful woman and she’s been divorced before, so she knows exactly what she’s looking for,” Johnson told Heavy. “She’s not out here to get Instagram followers, she’s out here to find the love of her life and live the best life she deserves.”
This is a sentiment he’s previously shared on Twitter, writing back in September 2019, “You gotta love [Tayshia Adams’] maturity and emotional intelligence.”
You gotta love @TayshiaAdams maturity and emotional intelligence!!
— Mike Johnson (@MikeJohnson1_) September 3, 2019
The co-host of Bachelor Nation’s podcast, Click Bait, has long been rumored to have stepped in as lead for season 16 of The Bachelorette after Clare Crawley quit to pursue a relationship with one of her suitors, Dale Moss. Despite ABC’s insistence to the contrary, they seem to have finally confirmed her involvement in the last few seconds of Tuesday’s episode with Adams emerging from a pool. However, neither ABC nor Adams will confirm her appearance at La Quinta Resort and Club was as the lead.
Fans will recognize Johnson from Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette and Adams from Colton Underwood’s season of The Bachelor. They both traveled to Mexico for season six of Bachelor in Paradise. While Johnson left the show single, Adams had a short-lived romance with John Paul Jones.
Adams Was Once Married
As referenced by Johnson, Adams was previously married to Josh Bourelle. She opened up about her marriage to Underwood during their first one-on-one date, saying, “I was married and I got a divorce. I actually married my first boyfriend and I was with him for about like six years or so.”
Describing the divorce as “the toughest thing I’ve gone through,” Adams said, “Being a Christian woman, you think like, you get married once and that’s going to be it. And you know you expect that from your partner as well.” She added, “But, you can’t make someone want to be married.”
She elaborated on her marriage’s dissolution while appearing on The Viall Files, telling Nick Viall her ex-husband was unfaithful. After she moved to his hometown of Mammoth Lakes, California, they eventually returned to her hometown of Los Angeles.
“People who are not from here kind of get curious about all the people and the different lifestyles,” Adams told Viall. “Maybe that’s too much for some people to handle.”
Still, Bourelle was the one who chose to end the marriage, as Adams plainly stated, “Just to get the record straight, I didn’t want to get divorced.”
Adams Will Be the Second Black Lead in the Franchise’s History
Adams will be the franchise’s second Back lead, following in the footsteps of former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay. Her time comes on the heels of an outcry from Bachelor Nation, with many stars and fans signing a petition for greater diversity in the franchise, and the casting of the first Black Bachelor, Matt James.
Johnson, who many called to be cast as the Bachelor, has been vocal about the need for the franchise to diversify in front and behind the camera.
“I would love to watch The Bachelor franchise, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, all of their, you know, spinoffs and to see a melting pot,” said Johnson. “When I say a melting pot, I’m talking about the cast, I’m talking about the crew, I’m talking about the people in charge that make the decisions, the people that cast individuals, people that you know, cast the lead or that pick the locations.”
Reality Steve is reporting Adams will officially be shown in her new role during next week’s episode of The Bachelorette.
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