Another shot at love for Tayshia Adams? Season 16 of The Bachelorette is shaking things up.
While ABC has yet to publicly comment on reports that Tayshia, 29, is replacing Clare Crawley as the season 16 lead, a source confirms to Us Weekly that Tayshia is in fact at La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs, California, where the show is currently filming. A second insider previously told Us that producers recently contacted contestants who were not picked for Clare’s final lineup.
“Last weekend, producers reached out to backup Bachelorette contestants who had been vetted for Clare’s season but were ultimately not cast to film at La Quinta [Resort],” the insider said. “When producers reached back out, out of the blue, it was very apparent that something had happened with production.”
Clare, meanwhile, was named the season 16 lead in March. After delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, the cameras didn’t start rolling until July 18. A source now tells Us that season 16 will feature both of the women. Speculation that Tayshia was taking over for Clare began after Life & Style magazine reported she secretly traveled to the Palm Springs location. The hairdresser added fuel to the fire when she “liked” (and later “unliked”) a tweet about Tayshia scoring the role.
“I’m sure many would be thrilled with Tayshia, too!!” the post “liked” by Clare read.
While Tayshia has subsequently gone dark on social media — another sign she is filming the show — she previously revealed she was open to the opportunity of being the Bachelorette.
“I have to say, anything that comes my way, I am ready for. I am ready for love!” she told Entertainment Tonight in February 2020. “No matter where life takes me, I am open to all opportunities, and I don’t think that this is where my TV presence will end. I would love to still interact with a lot of people in a beautiful way.”
And while several members of Bachelor Nation showed their support for Tayshia at the time, not everyone was convinced. Most notably, Nick Viall quipped that Tayshia “is a lovely human,” but “she would also have [viewers] in bed by 8:30.”
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