Tayshia Adams has confirmed she wasn't surprised about Jesse Palmer's casting as the new The Bachelorette host and ABC had given her a heads-up before the announcement was made.
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But former football player and Season 5 The Bachelor star Jesse Palmer announced on The Bachelor: After the Final Rose for Clayton Echard's season earlier this month that he will be by Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia's side for their journeys on The Bachelorette 19.
On ABC's decision to have Jesse host The Bachelorette this year, Tayshia told Us Weekly, "Kaitlyn and I both had a phone call weeks prior saying that they were going to go forward with Jesse so it wasn't really a surprise."
The 31-year-old Season 16 The Bachelorette star added that she's "very happy for him."
"I feel like he's been so sweet and kind to me, so I wish everybody that takes that position the very best and I'm excited to see the new season," Tayshia said.
Tayshia's statement backs a source's recent claim that Tayshia and Kaitlyn, who starred on Season 11 of The Bachelorette, were not blindsided by Jesse's casting and had been informed about the hosting switch up "prior to the announcement" on March 15.
The source had told Us that the ladies were a "part of the conversation" with producers behind the scenes.
Tayshia and Kaitlyn may be out for now, but Tayshia recently hinted her time on The Bachelor franchise is not over when she called her break from co-hosting just "a pause."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
"I have to say, at least, that time really served me. It's taken up a lot of 'me time' for the last four years," Tayshia reportedly explained on Thursday's episode of The Drew Barrymore Show. "I'm ready to just do the next thing."
The Us source also said how "the doors aren't closed for good" in terms of Kaitlyn and Tayshia participating in the franchise in the future, adding, "Never say never."
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWTayshia continues to have a "cordial" relationship with ABC, according to the source, and "the bridge is not burned" regarding her future involvement in the franchise.
"She's been exploring a lot of different avenues and meeting with different people in the industry," the insider noted. "She's looking to continue expanding her career outside of Bachelor Nation."
During an episode of her "Off the Vine" podcast earlier this month, Kaitlyn similarly suggested that she's looking forward to some time off from The Bachelorette as well, even though she's "sad" about not being a part of Rachel and Gabby's search for love on the ABC reality series this year.
She called Jesse's casting a "blessing in disguise" since she'll now have the time for other side projects and to actually plan her wedding with fiance Jason Tartick.
But Kaitlyn, who won Season 29 Dancing with the Stars, has reportedly been bothered by the fact she and Tayshia had been listed as a "special guest" in the credits when they co-hosted The Bachelorette while Jesse was listed as "host" of The Bachelor.
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"The only resentment that seems to come out of it is their titles and contracts," the source explained, alleging that it "all comes down to pay" and the ladies received "less pay" because of their less-significant titles.
Kaitlyn and Tayshia's Instagram bios previously mentioned how they co-host The Bachelorette, but that job description has been deleted on both of their accounts.
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"With every ending, comes a new beginning," Jesse wrote Wednesday, March 16 on Instagram.
"So excited for @gabby.windey and @pilot.rachel our new BACHELORETTES!!! Both are STRONG, SMART, AMAZING and equally DESERVING!!! Can't wait to join them on their journey to find LOVE!!!"
Kaitlyn admitted in December 2021 how she and Tayshia never initially expected to co-host even more than one season of The Bachelorette after Chris left the show due to his early 2021 racism controversy involving Rachael Kirkconnell and Rachel Lindsay.
ABC and Chris publicly announced in June 2021 that Chris' voluntary leave of absence from The Bachelor franchise -- which began in February of that year -- would become a permanent one and he will not be returning as host for any future seasons.
"We never really thought that would be our position. I mean, we never really thought we'd still be here for a second season hosting," Kaitlyn noted at the time.
The Bachelorette's nineteenth season began filming on Saturday and is set to premiere Monday, July 11 at 8PM ET/PT on ABC.
Before signing on to co-host The Bachelorette last year, Tayshia competed for Colton Underwood's heart on The Bachelor's 23rd season and also starred as the Bachelorette.
Tayshia got engaged to Zac Clark during her Season 16 finale in 2020, but the couple announced their split in November 2021. The are reportedly still in communication.
Tayshia also previously co-hosted multiple Bachelor Nation podcasts: "Click Bait with Bachelor Nation" as well as the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
