It’s official: Tayshia Adams has replaced Clare Crawley as the star of The Bachelorette season 16. (#Hallelujah)
Since it’s been over a year since Adams graced our television screen, we compiled a list of everything there is to know about ABC’s new lead. Keep scrolling for all the details.
Adams first appeared on Colton Underwood’s season of The Bachelor, where she made it to the final three, alongside Hannah Godwin and Cassie Randolph. She also starred on season six of Bachelor in Paradise, which ended in heartbreak (see below).
Adams and John Paul Jones (aka JPJ) met on the beaches of Mexico. Although they left BiP on rocky terms, they later confirmed their relationship on social media. One month after the announcement, the couple called it quits.
Adams discussed the news on Instagram and wrote, “We truly did the best we could, but at this time have decided that what is best for the both of us is to go our separate ways. We are the best of friends and will continue to remain in each other’s life because regardless of the situation, we make each other happy.”
Adams grew up in Orange, California, and attended college in the nearby town of Irvine. The Bachelorette star currently works as a phlebotomist, which means she draws blood for a living. (If it sounds familiar, it’s probably because her intro video for The Bachelor was chock full of vein jokes.)
Fans of The Bachelor will probably remember that Adams was previously married prior to the show. She tied the knot with her first boyfriend, Josh Bourelle, but they separated less than two years later, citing irreconcilable differences.
“You can’t make someone want to be married,” Adams told Underwood on the show.
Adams is the second Black Bachelorette after Rachel Lindsay. We expect her to have a strong voice on the show, especially since she’s known for spreading positivity on social media.
Earlier this year, Adams attended a Black Lives Matter protest and described her experience on Instagram, writing, “I truly have never felt anything like I did yesterday. I have never been one to talk about my race because I have always been the minority. I never knew any different but also never wanted to bring attention to something that would make people see me differently/ not as an equal.”
