The future of “The Bachelorette” is suddenly wide open, and fans already have their pick. Following the cancellation of Season 22 amid controversy surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul, viewers are rallying behind a new name to take the lead: Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher. And now, she’s finally weighing in on the growing buzz.. KCS Presse / MEGA. The push for Maher didn’t come out of nowhere. Bachelor Nation alum Jill Chin took to TikTok as news of the cancellation spread, making it clear she already had someone in mind for the role, and she didn’t hold back.. “You know who is the RIGHT choice for ‘The Bachelorette?’” she asked. “You wanna know who I wanted as ‘The Bachelorette,’ who never would never would have done any of this?” She then pointed to a photo of Maher behind her and added, “This queen right here.” “An Ilona Maher season would have SLAYED,” Chin declared.. Fans quickly echoed the sentiment, with many saying Maher has been their dream pick for years.. CraSH/imageSPACE / MEGA. Maher is well aware of the growing support, and she’s taking it all in stride. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight at the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary” special premiere in Los Angeles, the two-time Olympian addressed the rumors with a lighthearted response.. “It’s very sweet. The only way I would do it, I was talking to Joey Graziadei, the only way I would do it, he would have to executive produce, Alan [Bersten] would have to executive produce,” she said. “My whole friends would, they’d have to check everybody off.”. Maher’s comment about Alan refers to her connection with “Dancing With the Stars” pro Alan Bersten. For those unfamiliar, Bersten has strong ties to Bachelor Nation. He previously won Season 28 alongside Hannah Brown and even went on a date with former “Bachelorette” Gabby Windey in 2023.. LISA OConnor/AFF-USA.com / MEGA. The conversation around a new lead comes after a dramatic turn for the franchise. Taylor Frankie Paul was originally set to star in Season 22, but plans were scrapped after a domestic violence scandal made headlines.. A video obtained by TMZ showed her throwing chairs at her ex, Dakota Mortensen, with one nearly hitting a child. According to a police report, the child, who was five at the time, was injured during the incident and had “a goose egg on her head.”. The video surfaced after a source claimed that production on Season 5 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” was paused following Paul’s alleged second domestic violence incident involving Mortensen in February 2026.. View this post on Instagram. The video became a key piece of evidence in a felony aggravated assault case, which ultimately ended in a plea deal. Paul was sentenced to three years’ probation, which is set to expire in August. As part of the agreement, four additional charges, including domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse, and criminal mischief, were dropped.. In the a
