Tayshia Adams: What You Don't Know About The Bachelor Star

Tayshia Adams first came onto Bachelor Nation's radar on Colton Underwood's Bachelor season in 2019. Later, she appeared on Bachelor in Paradise, where she had a brief relationship with John Paul Jones. And then, of course, rumors started flying that Tayshia would replace Clare Crawley as the lead of The Bachelorette in August 2020. 

Without ABC confirming the rumor, it gained traction thanks to a Reddit post made by Bachelor Nation Spoilers and highlighted by professional Bachelor spoiler Reality Steve on Twitter. As E! News explained, production would show Clare falling in love before pivoting to Tayshia's journey. "Clare will then conclude her journey and announce that Tayshia is the lead," said a source. The rumors were finally confirmed in November 2020, and Tayshia became the second Black Bachelorette, following in the footsteps of Rachel Lindsay, as noted by Entertainment Tonight.

With Tayshia taking over The Bachelorette, the 16th season actually became the most dramatic ever. Here's what you don't know about Tayshia Adams.

Before Clare Crawley was announced as the Bachelorette, Tayshia Adams informed Entertainment Tonight that she was interested in the role. "I don't know if I can say yes or no!" she replied when asked if she was in the running in February 2020. "I plead the fifth!" She continued, "I have to say, anything that comes my way, I am ready for," adding, "I am ready for love!" 

During a 2019 interview with Vulture, Tayshia had revealed her disappointment at not being chosen for the 15th season of The Bachelorette (Hannah Brown was selected), saying that "it would've been really, really nice to get The Bachelorette." She also demonstrated a mature attitude, revealing that she prays about big decisions in her life and that "if it was meant to be, it would've happened."

Considering that Tayshia became the Bachelorette in the Season 16, it seems like it was, indeed, meant to be.

As noted by Us Weekly, Tayshia Adams is divorced, having previously been married to Joshua Bourelle. The two were married for less than two years and broke up in October 2017. In April 2018, they finalized their divorce.

On the Help! I Suck at Dating podcast, Tayshia told former The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise contestant Dean Unglert that it was "scary" to confess the breakdown of her relationship with her parents. "I felt a lot of pressure to make sure that my marriage worked," she said. Tayshia told Dean that she wasn't open with her parents about the relationship in general, although she started confiding in them after the divorce. She noted, "They are now my closest friends in a way."

While she was on The Bachelor, Tayshia revealed the divorce to lead Colton Underwood and confessed that she had married her first boyfriend. Tayshia again addressed the divorce on Instagram, stating that she used to be "ashamed" of it, but she said that she is a "strong, independent, and smiling woman" today.

While on Bachelor in Paradise, Tayshia Adams was a hot commodity, catching the eye of both Derek Peth and John Paul Jones. Tayshia and John's mutual attraction soon turned into a romance. According to Us Weekly, although Tayshia and John broke up at the season's end, they later reunited... only to break up again in October 2019.

In a now-deleted post on Tayshia's Instagram account, as reported by Elite Daily, she described their time together as "incredibly special," adding that it was a "whirlwind" after they fell for one other. But while Tayshia and John hoped they could build something enduring, they realized they were living on opposite coasts after going back home and their "insane schedules" stood in the way of them really having a life together. As a result, they decided to break up, but they remain "the best of friends," as Us Weekly reported of Tayshia's Instagram post.

While on The Bachelor, Tayshia Adams revealed her career as a phlebotomist, as noted by Bustle. If you're scratching your head, you're not the only one: A phlebotomist is somebody who's trained to draw blood. Bustle quoted her now-deleted ABC profile, which explained that Tayshia has a B.S. in biology medical science from Concordia University and included this blood-drawing joke: "Colton feels faint when he sees her."

"I love to poke people's veins and draw their blood," a smiling Tayshia said in her intro video for The Bachelor in 2018. Before laughing, she added, "I'm probably looking at your veins when I first meet you."

However, in a 2019 interview with Vulture, Tayshia revealed that she was no longer a phlebotomist, despite having gone to school for it. Instead, she decided to pursue interior design, which, along with real estate and architecture, has always been her "passion."

Before Clare Crawley was announced as the Bachelorette, members of Bachelor Nation discussed who might be a good choice for the role, and Tayshia Adams' name came up. In an interview with Life & Style, former Bachelor contestant Ashley Iaconetti said that she thought Tayshia would be a great choice, calling her "just so likable." She added, "I don't think anybody has met Tayshia and been like, 'Eh, she's mediocre.'" Ashley further gushed about Tayshia, calling her "fantastic." Ashley's husband, Jared Haibon, agreed, telling Life & Style, "Tayshia is a really good pick."

However, not every Bachelor alum may have fully hopped on board the Tayshia train. When responding to a March 2020 comment on Instagram from a Tayshia fan that read, "Give me Tayshia or give me nothing," former Bachelor Nick Viall replied, according to Us Weekly, "Tayshia is a lovely human, she would also have you in bed by 8:30."

Considering Tayshia's devoted fanbase — she has over 1.3 million Instagram followers as of this writing —we're sure many were happy Tayshia eventually became the Bachelorette.

While on The Bachelor, Tayshia Adams got to indulge her love of travel. With Bachelor Colton Underwood, she traveled to places as far-flung as Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and Portugal, as reported by CheatSheet. And before competing on Bachelor in Paradise, Tayshia's Instagram page demonstrated her love of travel with photos from The Bahamas, the United Arab Emirates, and France, according to Marie Claire. Notably, in December 2019, Tayshia posted a cheeky snap from the slopes of Val d'Isere, France on her Instagram, showing herself in a bikini and ski gear.

Interestingly, in an interview with Vulture, Tayshia revealed that the first time she'd ever been out of the country was only "weeks before [The Bachelor] started," when she went on a mission trip to Africa. Considering all of the travel photos on her Instagram account now, it's clear that The Bachelor sparked an enduring love of travel. "My passport is looking quite colorful," she told Vulture. "Thank you, ABC!"

According to Us Weekly, Tayshia Adams was "exclusively dating" someone until the day before she left to be on The Bachelor with Colton Underwood.

A source told Us Weekly that Tayshia and model Chase Olswang were in a relationship that got serious quickly before she left to do the show, with the two discussing "engagement and marriage." They reportedly met at a bar in Newport Beach, Calif., and their relationship lasted ten months.

Olswang also spoke to Us Weekly, claiming that Tayshia "wasn't sure" if she was going to do The Bachelor, but, as time progressed, he said, "I could kind of tell that she was leaning toward going." However, he also admitted to Us Weekly that there were never any labels on his relationship with Tayshia and that, as the departure date approached, he "could kind of see changes between us." The source noted Olswang was in love with her, adding, "He's not anymore, but he still loves her."

While contestants on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette often apply themselves, submitting applications online or attending casting calls, Tayshia Adams had a more unique path to The Bachelor. When asked if she applied hoping that Colton Underwood might be the lead, she explained in an interview with Vulture that she was "nominated" to be on the show by "some girlfriends." Tayshia called the whole process "a joint effort."

Once she was in the running, producers asked her who she would like the most as Bachelor, and Tayshia admitted to having an affinity for Colton. "I was attracted to him and thought he was very handsome," she told Vulture, adding that Colton had some "nice qualities."

Ultimately, Tayshia was the one who made the final decision to be a contestant, but clearly she had more than a little help from her friends.

Anybody who watched Colton Underwood's season of The Bachelor would know that contestant Tayshia Adams is afraid of heights, as shared by Heavy. Naturally then, producers chose Tayshia for not one but two extreme dates with Colton, including both bungee jumping and skydiving. Of course, the real terror came later on, when Colton met Tayshia's protective father for the first time and asked for permission to marry her, as noted by FabFitFun.

While speaking with Vulture after her season on The Bachelor, Tayshia was asked if she'd done any other wild activities since the show ended. She revealed that she'd just signed up for scuba-diving classes. "I'm going to Hawaii in a few weeks and I want to go deep scuba-diving," she said. Notably, in April 2020, Tayshia shared photos on her Instagram page, showing her wearing boxing gloves. In the caption, she wrote, "You just have to decide — how are you going to show up?"

Tayshia Adams clearly makes her religious side known on her Instagram page. Her bio prominently features "Psalm 46:5," which, in the Bible, reads, "God is within her. She will not fall," as noted by Flare. In her now-deleted ABC profile when she was first cast on The Bachelor, Tayshia made no secret of her Christian devotion, mentioning that she had recently come back from a mission trip to Africa.

Elsewhere on her Instagram profile, Tayshia also makes her religious side known. In April 2019, she posted a cute snap of her family in their Sunday best with the Easter bunny, using the hashtags "#heisrisen" and "#grateful." The caption quoted a religious song that Tayshia cited as "one of [her] favorites," and she told her followers, "It's the perfect reminder to rejoice & be thankful for the gift of life & that no obstacle is too big for our God!"

Bachelor star Tayshia Adams has used her social media platform to highlight important causes for good. Her Instagram bio previously linked out to a page that boasts a number of links to help support the Black Lives Matter movement. These links go to pages where people can sign petitions and donate. There are also resources for information regarding voting and protesting, including a map of protests around the world. The page states at the top, "Educate Yourself. This Doesn't Go Away Once The Topic Isn't, 'Trending.'"

Meanwhile, her bio also includes the hashtag "#goodtrouble," a reference to the late John Lewis, who fought for voting rights and led a famous march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala. in 1965, as noted by The New York Times.

In June 2020, Tayshia posted about attending a Black Lives Matter protest, writing, "I truly have never felt anything like I did yesterday."

On Colton Underwood's season of The Bachelor, Tayshia Adams made it to the final three and the show's Fantasy Suites, as noted by Us Weekly. However, as fans know, Tayshia wouldn't go on to receive Colton's final rose. While Tayshia may have been initially disappointed, she ultimately landed on another emotion: gratitude.

On Instagram in March 2019, Tayshia displayed her trademark maturity when she wrote that, ever since she stepped into the Bachelor Mansion, "the one true emotion I have felt throughout this journey is Thankful." She reflected on the "vulnerability and faith this journey requires," revealing in the heartfelt post that she'd had her heart broken in the past. This made looking for love again difficult, particularly in such a public setting where she was opening herself up for people to "criticize" and pick apart "every intimate detail."

However, looking back on her time with Colton, Tayshia realized that she "wouldn't change it for the world." She believes she walked away from the experience "choosing ME."

When Tayshia Adams appeared on The Bachelor, viewers saw Colton Underwood visit her California hometown and meet her family. Tayshia had warned Colton that her father could be a "hard ass," according to Refinery29, and when Colton took her father aside and asked for permission to marry Tayshia, her father was visibly skeptical. However, her father ultimately gave his blessing. Of her father, Tayshia noted, "He's very protective over me."

The love members of the Adams family have for one another is shown clearly on Tayshia's Instagram page, where she posts sweet photos of her family. For Mother's Day 2020, she posted a picture of her and her mother on Instagram, writing, "I aspire to be everything you are," and calling her mother "the classiest, sweetest, most generous God loving woman." She ended her post by saying " I LOVE YOU MOMMA, to the moon & back & then some."

In another Instagram post, Tayshia praised both her mother and father, writing, "My parents sacrificed so much in order for my siblings and I to be surrounded by people that encouraged me to embrace my uniqueness."

While Tayshia Adams' first marriage might not have worked out, it doesn't mean that she's not clear about what she's hoping to find in a partner.

In a rather prescient conversation with Vulture in March 2020, Tayshia revealed she knew how a season of The Bachelorette would be different with her as the lead. "I might be more tough on the guys, in the sense I'd need them to stand up a little bit more than [Hannah Brown]," she said. Tayshia also noted she wouldn't be too interested in younger guys, saying she's looking for "a little bit more life experience." She shared her hopes to find somebody secure with themselves who isn't still figuring out who they are. "Show up, or get out," she said, cheekily adding, "No bulls**t, let's go, I'm trying to find a husband!"

Seems like Tayshia Adams knows what she wants in a man!