Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of 'Bachelorette' being canceled prompts Bachelor Nation to suggest new lead
The sudden cancellation of ‘The Bachelorette’ season featuring Taylor Frankie Paul has left a strange kind of vacuum behind. But if there’s one thing fans know how to do, it's to fill the silence with opinions, suggestions, and very strong feelings about who should have been handing out roses in the first place. And right on cue, that conversation is already picking up speed. After the network pulled the fully filmed season following legal trouble surrounding Paul and her ex-boyfriend, fans and former contestants didn’t just shrug and move on. Instead, they started tossing around names and sharing their take on who should have been the next Bachelorette.
That’s where Jill Chin comes into the picture. Chin has appeared across multiple corners of the franchise, from ‘Bachelor Mansion Takeover’ to ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ and ‘The Bachelor’. She didn’t hold back when she shared her take on who should have been leading the season all along. She posted a TikTok as the news about the cancellation spread, and said, “You know who is the RIGHT choice for The Bachelorette? You wanna know who I wanted as The Bachelorette, who never would have done any of this?” She didn’t leave viewers in suspense for long. Pointing to a photo of Ilona Maher, she said, "This queen right here."
Maher made waves during the Olympics, bringing home a bronze medal in women’s rugby and quickly becoming a fan favorite. She later carried that momentum onto ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 33, where she placed second, picking up an even bigger audience along the way. Chin summed it up in one punchy line, “An Ilona Maher season would have SLAYED.” And judging by the reaction online, she’s far from the only one thinking that. Fans flooded the comment section of her post. Some said they’ve been asking for Maher to lead the show for years now. One user wrote, “SOMEONE MAKE THIS HAPPEN,” while another frustrated viewer exclaimed, “WE ASKED AND THEY IGNORED US!”
One comment pointed out how impactful a season led by Maher could be, saying, “This would be so healthy for young girls to see this queen omg.” Meanwhile, others admitted they don’t even watch the show regularly but would absolutely tune in if she were the one calling the shots. One individual said, "I don’t watch bachelorette, but I would tune in for Ilona," while another added, "They better make this right and get Ilona there pronto." Interestingly, Maher herself hasn’t shut the idea down in the past. She has previously been asked about taking on the role, and her response hinted that she wouldn’t rule it out. "I will do that for America. I will date 30 men for America, if that's what you wanna see," she told GMA earlier. So what happens next? ABC hasn’t announced its next steps yet, and the future of the franchise is a little uncertain at the moment.
