It's almost time for the new season of The Bachelorette. And while Chris Harrison has repeatedly labeled past seasons as the "most dramatic" one yet, this one might actually take the title.
As Bachelor Nation is well aware, Clare Crawley was announced as the star of the 16th season of The Bachelorette back in March. However, the coronavirus pandemic delayed production of the show. While filming has since reportedly resumed, multiple sources tell E! News Crawley is being replaced by Tayshia Adams.
"The producers have told her that the season will still lead with Clare and her short-lived journey and will show Clare falling in love with one of her suitors," the insider shares. "Clare will then conclude her journey and announce that Tayshia is the lead."
While neither star has commented on the rumors, Crawley liked—and then unlinked—a fan's social media post about Adams becoming the Bachelorette.
Over the years, fans have watched both Crawley's and Adams' journeys to find love unfold across the franchise. As viewers will recall, Adams first appeared on Colton Underwood's season of The Bachelor and was one of the final three women. She later went on to appear on Bachelor in Paradise, where she formed a connection with John Paul Jones. However, they ended up going their separate ways.
As for Crawley, she first appeared on Juan Pablo's season of The Bachelor and ended up being one of the final two women. She then went on to appear on two seasons of Bachelor in Paradise and later became a contestant on The Bachelor Winter Games. It was during her time on the latter show that Crawley met Benoit Beauséjour-Savard. While their romance didn't work out on the program, they reconnected after The Bachelor Winter Games and got engaged. However, they broke up a few months later.
To look back at Crawley's time on the show before she reportedly hands over the rose distribution duties, check out the gallery below.
Fans met Crawley on Juan Pablo Galavis' season of The Bachelor. The reality star was one of the final two contestants along with Nikki Ferrell. However, she was "shocked" after Galavis "chose to tell me something that no woman wants to hear" when the cameras weren't rolling.
"That he doesn't know me and some sexual thing I don't want to repeat," she said during the 2014 season. "It was insulting and it was offensive."
Crawley slammed Galavis during the finale after he gave his final rose to Ferrell.
"I lost respect for you because I'll tell you what: I thought I knew what kind of man you were, [but] what you just made me go through, I would never want my children having a father like you," she said.
Crawley's journey to find love continued in 2014 when she appeared on the first season of Bachelor in Paradise. She quit the show in week five after having drama with Zack Kalter and learning that AshLee Frazier had called her "cuckoo" and brought up her past with Galavis. She also had a heart-to-heart with a raccoon.
In 2015, Crawley appeared on the second season of Bachelor in Paradise. She left week three; however, the show made time for a catch-up call with the raccoon.
Crawley took another shot at love by appearing on the 2018 show The Bachelor Winter Games. She ended up forming a relationship with Benoit Beauséjour-Savard. However, he left after she decided to pursue a romance with Christian Argue. It didn't work out, and Crawley ended up leaving the show without love. She then reunited with Beauséjour-Savard after the show wrapped, and he proposed during the finale.
Just a few months after the proposal aired, Crawley and Beauséjour-Savard called it quits.
"It's with a heavy heart that we have mutually decided to end our relationship," they said in part of a statement. "We think the world of each other, and we were both hoping we could make this work. I'm sorry that this may not be what you want to hear, but it's our truth. Just know there are no negative feelings here, we are simply two people who believed in love, and were open enough to give it a chance."
However, the two seem to be on good terms. Beauséjour-Savard even said "she will be the best Bachelorette."
In March 2020, Good Morning America announced that Crawley would star on The Bachelorette season 16. However, multiple sources now tell E! News Crawley is being replaced by Tayshia Adams.
"The producers have told her that the season will still lead with Clare and her short-lived journey and will show Clare falling in love with one of her suitors," an insider shares. "Clare will then conclude her journey and announce that Tayshia is the lead."
E! News has reached out to ABC for comment.