- Nervous, so I can't imagine
how the nerves are going to be tonight.
It's just like first date, but times 20.
- Producer: And this world is vastly different.
- Taylor: Oh, yeah.
I've never been in this setting before,
this experience, so it's all new.
For those of you that don't know me,
I'm Taylor Frankie Paul,
and I am the Bachelorette.
- Woman: ♪ Today is where your book begins ♪
♪ The rest is still unwritten ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
- Taylor: After tonight, my life
is going to change forever.
I'm ready to fall in love. I'm ready to find my person.
To find happily ever after.
I am really excited. There's nerves.
And I think that as a mom of three,
for me, it's like finding, like,
almost a missing puzzle piece in my life.
Tonight is the big night,
and right now we are headed to the mansion.
Jesse's meeting me there. I get a tour of it.
Maybe it'll calm my nerves.
Maybe it'll make me more nervous.
I don't know yet, but let's go.
- Woman: ♪ With arms wide open ♪
♪ Today is when your book begins ♪
- But as a Bachelorette, I have no idea what is coming.
Thank you.
- Hey. - Taylor: Hi.
- How are you? It's so good seeing you.
- You as well.
- Welcome to the mansion. I know it's your first time here.
- What do you think? - It's beautiful.
I'm, like, so giddy to be here right now.
- I'm so excited you're here as well.
And I know, obviously, we're kicking off
the main event here pretty soon.
You're following in the footsteps of a lot
of amazing women.
- I can't wait to start.
- Let's do it. - Bring on the men!
- Rachel! - Rachel!
- Hannah!
- Somebody's already jumping fences for me.
- Let's toast to Kaitlyn. - Yes.
- Go, go! - Yes!
- You're the Bachelorette, Becca.
- Men: Michelle!
- Whoo!
- Do you mind zipping me up?
- Oh, thank you. - Yeah.
- What would I do without you, Kermie?
- I am having a blast.
- Wow.
- Why do you have a rubber?
What do you think's gonna happen?
- Stop. That's so bad.
- ♪ If you choose me, Ali ♪
♪ I'll forever be yours ♪
- You thought about that at all?
- Yes. Yeah. I think that's what also
is nerving me out is trying to, like, I hate to say it,
but, like, step into those shoes of, like,
all of the amazing ones.
And I'm also very new to this.
I didn't get a season before where I, like,
kind of got a feel for it.
I know nothing, so.
- All you can do is be your authentic self.
And if you do that, I know this is just going to be amazing.
I think you should just head on in.
- It's your new home. - Just go in?
I admire all the women that stood before me.
- Thank you. Appreciate it. - See you, Taylor.
- Stepping into this role
as the Bachelorette will be new for me.
There's a lot of unknowns.
I'm scared.
I need some help.
[ Laughs ] [Bleep]
- Whoo! - Taylor: Oh, my God!
[ Cheers and applause ]
- So tonight is the start of Taylor's journey,
and we are all here to get obviously cozy with her,
because we know Taylor likes her sweatpants,
and give her some advice.
- My heart is like this right now.
- I am so excited to welcome her into the sisterhood
of the Bachelorette.
I am here with Kaitlyn,
Rachel, and Ashley and DeAnna and Desiree.
Joan is here. Like, we've got almost all of us.
- It's kind of giving sorority vibes a little bit,
but I'm not mad about it.
- Ali: It's like we're a family.
We're all on a text thread together and, like,
we support each other through life,
and it's just such a special group.
- I honestly have so many questions 'cause I am nervous.
- This is the sisterhood.
We're here for you, girl.
- Thank you. I have shoes to fill.
- We are here to make her feel comfortable, to keep it real.
- Now you're official.
- Thank you so much. I get to match with you guys?
- You do.
22. I'm number 1.
- Oh, my God.
- She is the 22nd Bachelorette,
and I have been married for 22 years.
Let that sink in.
- Okay, I'll be right back. Thank you so much.
- Desiree: You can tell that she is a little nervous,
which is warranted.
I think I was shaking in my boots, you know?
Shaking in my high heels.
Because it's a really nerve wracking night.
- When I first pull up, I'm always like,
"Oh, yeah, there was two of us."
- Woman: That's right.
- How are you? - I'm great. I'm Ben.
- Kaitlyn: Hi, Ben. Nice to meet you.
- You look absolutely beautiful. - Kaitlyn: Thank you.
Me and Britt, and then the guys had to choose.
But what I really picture when even just standing
on this balcony is all of them lining up and saying
"Kaitlyn!"
- Hello, Kaitlyn!
- It's crazy to come back to the mansion.
I've been back a couple times and there's a smell.
- I just have the best memories in this house.
So many emotions. Just devastated.
Just want to find somebody that loves me.
Bawling. Anxious, nervous. Excited.
Happy in love. - I'm in love with you.
- It's one of those things where if the walls could talk.
- I'm leaving. I'm literally quitting.
- I have cried in so many places in this mansion.
The front bedroom, the back bedroom, the big bathroom.
I'm such a failure as a Bachelorette.
In the rose room.
- Clayton: I'm sorry. - It's okay.
This is not supposed to be like this.
Like, I don't know where I haven't cried.
- Falling in love -- Falling in love I think with
multiple people, how do you navigate that?
We'll start there.
- It is possible to have feelings.
Obviously, we all have for more than one person.
But you get more clarity as you go on.
I did a few things wrong.
- Can you tell me what those were?
- Um, well, I'm so glad you asked.
- Woman: She's like, "What can I get away with?"
- Yeah, that's where I'm going.
- I had sexual relations with a man
before the fantasy suite.
- Do you want to go back to my hotel and hang out for bit?
- Yeah. - [ Laughs ]
- Are you [bleep] with me? - No. Do you want to?
- Yeah.
- It was really in that moment that I went,
"Oh, this doesn't feel right."
So I think fantasy suites are important.
Off-camera intimacy,
no matter what that looks like to somebody,
I do think you get a lot of clarity in those moments.
- Do -- I guess do you hook up with multiple --
- Yes, yes, yes, yes. - Taylor: I feel like I would feel bad.
- Come on. No. - I could be that person that's like,
I just did it, you know, for all of them.
And I'm like, oh [bleep] There's so many questions.
- Trista: There are some people who couldn't be here,
and so I have something to show you.
- Taylor: Oh, my gosh.
- Hi, Taylor, it's Jillian Harris here.
I'm so happy for you. Here's some advice.
I didn't shave my legs on the very first date,
and we ended up having a pool party.
And I ended up on Jason Mesnick's
shoulders with hairy legs.
So shave your legs. Embrace the moment.
Good luck and sending you tons of love here from Canada.
- Hi, Taylor, it's Jenn.
I'm so sorry I couldn't be there today with you.
I'm so excited for you.
In those moments where I was really pushed past my limits,
that was when I discovered some
of the most beautiful things about myself.
And trust your heart, as cliché as that sounds.
- That was adorable.
Thank you. - Of course.
- I don't think out of all four of us,
like, none of us were expecting to become the Bachelorette.
- Oh, I wasn't.
- I thought I should. [ Laughter ]
- Woman: I'm like, "Actually..."
- I am obsessed with Taylor.
I think she is so perfect for this
because she doesn't really know what she's doing.
And I love that.
I think that's what's going to make her so lovable.
- Honesty is always the best policy.
Not honest in a way where you're like,
"Hey, I know we're on our fantasy,
but two nights ago, I --" - You want to know what I did?
- Woman: It's going to come out.
- Kaitlyn: But just like, being like --
- Or you could. - Did you?
- I did do that. I was very mad.
But during fantasy suite, one of the guys assumed
that I wouldn't have been intimate with anyone.
- Like, I totally have all the trust in the world for you.
But at the same time,
I just want to make sure we're on the same page.
If you told me you were having sex,
or you had sex with one or multiple of these guys,
I'd be wanting to go home 100%. - Mm-hmm.
And it turned into this really heated conversation.
The way that you just said that, it's like,
why do you have the right to do that?
Because you're not my husband.
- Can I cut you off for a second?
- Hannah B: No. - Okay.
- You're questioning me, that you're judging me
and feel like you have the right to when you don't at this point.
To the point where I ended up having to tell him.
I have had sex.
- Say what? - And Jesus still loves me.
- [ Groans ]
- I [bleep] in a windmill.
And guess what? We did it a second time.
It was just something that had to be done.
- I'm not leaving until I at least have closure.
This isn't over for me yet. - Oh, my God. Well, all right.
- This is my heart we're talking about here.
This is a relationship.
- This is not about your heart. [Bleep] leave.
Like, if a guy says he loves you, then flips that way,
then he doesn't love you. - Woman: Yeah.
- All I want to say is that the end,
and correct me if I'm wrong, ladies, feels like the hardest
because you're, like, so invested
in these, like, final guys, as we've all been talking about.
- I'm done here.
♪♪
- I'm done. I'm done. I want to go home.
I am done, I am done, I am done, I am done.
- What got you to that point? What was it?
- You're just -- You're falling in love.
So it's really heartbreaking.
- It's funny, I have the exact same scenario as you,
as what you just said. Guy left.
- Frank: Before I came to Tahiti,
I went to Chicago to see Nicole.
The second I saw her, all the old feelings came rushing back.
- I've given up everything to be here.
- I gave up everything to be here, too.
- Apparently not everything.
- I can imagine that's got to be so hard to keep going
when the one you just wanted left.
That, to me, sounds like heartbreak.
- How do you really feel?
- You know, I really want to be madly in love with you.
♪♪
- I'm sorry. - Desiree: No. Thank you.
- Brooks: Desiree.
- Taylor: My biggest fear in all of this
is that I'm the one who gets heartbroken.
- Rachel L: I underestimated how hard it was.
Like, there was this moment where I just broke down.
- I think we're both going to regret this decision.
♪♪
- Rachel L: I can't say goodbye. - I know.
- This person just poured their soul out to me,
and I knew as much as I cared about them,
they weren't the one.
And so, like, that's something
I think that you should be aware of because I wasn't
and it -- it, like, rocked me.
The days are hard. The emotions run high.
At the end of the day, have fun and stay true to yourself.
- How do you guys weed out the people
that you can feel are not there for the right reasons?
Or how do you guys kind of sniff that out?
- There are truly some people here right now
that I adore so, so much,
and I don't want other people taking that time from them
if they're not here for the right reasons.
- We see one thing. She sees something else.
- This is crazy.
- You're just not here for the right reasons.
- All the guys aren't here for the right reasons.
- You can't drop something like that and not tell me.
- Man: I just, like -- I won't name a name.
It's for you to figure out.
- Why does every single guy here dislike you?
- Man: I don't like Nick. I don't like how he showed up.
He's just an arrogant guy.
- You guys want to go?
- Man: Chad is public enemy number one.
- Let's just pretend you're Hitler.
If I'm friends with you -- - Let's not pretend I'm Hitler.
- Maybe be more like Mussolini, you know?
- Brayden is getting time with you,
and he's not ready for an engagement.
- Clint: I'm not really interested in Kaitlyn,
but I need a rose tonight.
- I'm not here to be made a joke of,
which is what I feel like you're doing right now with me.
So I'm really going to need you to get the [bleep] out.
- You have to listen to yourself and your intuition.
No matter what other people are saying to you.
- Woman: That is such good advice.
- I love that advice too, because I truly --
I'm like, I'm getting comfy now.
I'm like, "All right, let's get into this."
But, like, I remember I felt this in my season.
This guy Justin, he had a girlfriend back home.
- She called me this morning. - Really?
- You promised her that you were gonna come here
and get to the top three and then go home,
promote your wrestling career.
No, no, no, no. Sit down and talk like a man.
- First of all. - Justin: No.
Because I'd rather just not say anything.
- Like, followed him through the whole --
He was trying to escape from me and I was like,
"Oh, no, buddy, I am confronting you.
Like, you are not gonna waste my time
and everybody's time here."
Justin, talk like a man. Wow.
- There was one guy in my season
who was raised by a single mom,
and that was like his, like, connection to me.
One of the guys had told me
that he had called my daughter, like, baggage.
- Oh.
- I want to go West Virginia hood rat, backwoods on his ass.
Do you have anything to say for yourself?
- I mean, it unfortunately came up in an --
again with a negative connotation.
It's going to be a big responsibility.
- It's a huge blessing.
So is there anything you can say to say,
"No, I didn't say that"? - Kalon: No, not at all.
- Then get the [bleep] out.
- Taylor: There's the door. - Emily: Yeah.
- Yours won't be like that. That won't happen.
- There's one in every group. - Right?
-Yeah. I mean... - She's -- Now she's spiraling.
- Woman: Oh, no.
- Ali: Tonight is your first rose ceremony.
- Do you want to practice? - Yes.
- Being back at the mansion makes me feel like I'm 25
and awkward and don't know how to wear high heels.
- They won't be smiling like this.
They're devastated and scared to go home.
And you're going to go, "Okay."
- I would always feel bad looking at somebody that --
and I was like, "I know I'm sending you home."
And they're looking at me like...
I'm like... [ Laughter ]
- But all of us Bachelorettes, we've all been there.
- Will you accept this rose? - I will.
We've all been nervous on night one and got through it.
- I just remember, like, having this tug of war of,
like, being a mom, but also being the Bachelorette.
And this is like a once in a lifetime opportunity,
and you're always going to be a mom.
Just focus on you.
- I truly had the time of my life as the Bachelorette.
And that's what I want Taylor to know is have so much fun.
- Hello, there. -Oh, my God, I could die.
She's allowed to be selfish.
- Tonight is the night. You're official.
- Woman: Like it hits you. - Taylor: I know.
It's, like, hard to, like, process it.
- Once you stand in that driveway
and Jesse, like, meets you there...
- You look absolutely stunning. - Thank you.
- I'm all sparkly. - Oh, my gosh.
- Is it kind of all a blur?
- Woman: Oh, yeah. - Woman #2: Yeah.
- Well, you know, it was 23 years ago.
[ Laughter ]
- Hi. - Trista: How are you?
- Really good. It's nice to finally meet you.
- You look ravishing. - Thank you.
His, like, humor came out.
He had me rolling.
Do you want to get in the hot tub?
- Uh, sure. - "Um, hmm, let me think about that."
We also had really steamy moments, and,
oh, yeah, In the hot tub, of course.
- Woman: Oh.
- [ Laughs ]
- I'm gonna need to take a dive into that ice water.
[ Both laugh ]
Immediately.
- Mm, yeah. [ Laughter ]
- I -- I feel grateful every day, um,
for this crazy, wild ride called The Bachelorette.
Ryan and I just celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary.
Just looking at my kids, they are a huge blessing in my life.
And they would not exist if not for the show.
- The fact that Trista, first Bachelorette ever...
- Trista, will you marry me?
- Taylor: ...still married, has two children, and is here today,
it gives me hope.
- This works. - Yeah, it does.
- Which is crazy to think about in kind of the short period.
- Well, hello.
- Hey, how are you?
- I could be meeting the person that I could potentially spend
the rest of my life with.
I met my husband, who's the father of my future baby.
Kissing Jordan feels perfect and right,
and it just feels good.
Your whole life's gonna change tonight.
- I always had a dating history,
and it was always like emotionally unavailable men.
And I always just thought that's, like, what I'm drawn to.
Relationships are supposed to be hard.
You get to honestly be forced to date men
that you normally wouldn't. - Taylor: Yes.
- Desiree: And, like, Chris was just like so perfect
to where it was like, "Oh, no."
You're like, "There's just something wrong.
You're like too perfect."
- Desiree: These are the poems. - Chris: All of the poems.
- No.
Thank you.
Never in my life did I think I would meet someone like Chris.
I just feel so lucky.
♪♪
I've never felt like anyone has loved me as much
as I have loved them.
And I think that's why it's hard to feel so loved.
Because I don't know what it feels like.
♪♪
So it feels good.
I'm just so lucky and blessed to be able to say
that I met my husband on The Bachelorette.
- We are all in situations we could have never predicted
and life is so much better. I mean, you're pregnant now.
Like -- Like life is so good for all of us.
And like, we're just really blessed.
And so I just hope, like, no matter,
like, the chaos that comes with being a Bachelorette, for sure,
like, there's so much good on the other side of this
and we're very excited.
- There's going to be real feelings involved
and you could get your heart broken,
but you could you could have the most amazing love story.
It's that hope.
- I had this moment, you guys, when we were all standing
in this room right before Taylor came in,
and I was just looking around, and I was looking at
how different our stories have been and our paths,
and how no one can truly relate to what we've gone through.
And I just felt like I was proud.
Nothing makes me happier than being surrounded
by this group of women.
- Ashley H: That are independent, are strong,
strong willed, strong minded, beautiful inside out.
- Here we go.
- To be in the Bachelor mansion with past Bachelorettes
to send Taylor off on her journey feels really special
and it feels empowering.
- She's getting that true, like, induction
into this crazy sisterhood that we have.
Taylor, it's time to begin your journey.
We are so excited for you, and I have a feeling
this is the start of something truly incredible.
- Thank you. - You're gonna kill it.
- It's gonna be amazing. - We have a group chat, too.
So you're in.
- Group hug. Let's go. [ Cheers and applause ]
- JoJo: Who knows if Taylor's going to take our advice?
And honestly, I don't care.
Like, not in, like, a -- Just do your thing, girl.
- Thank you, guys. Bye.
I needed this.
To find a partner, a husband,
and take someone home to my family --
Those are my hopes throughout this.
And I hope I can fall in love.
[ Laughs ]
- Jesse: Coming up this season on "The Bachelorette"...
- Wish me luck.
I can see him. It's Jesse.
- Jesse: Taylor. - Yeah.
- Let the journey begin.
- I love it.
I don't think they made dolls like that when I was a kid.
I like cowboys. Yeah.
- A hug makes the nerves go away.
- Thank you. - Yes.
- That is impressive. I think I need CPR.
Sorry, I almost went in for a kiss.
You gotta take me on a date first, huh?
I'm ready to fall in love. I'm ready to find my person.
- Man: Taylor is beyond all my expectations.
- Man #2: She's given me so much energy.
All my doubts, all of it is gone.
- Man #3: The guy that's at the end standing across from her
is going to have to be a dude that she can see
holding her kids' hands.
- Man #4: She's a really confident woman.
She's gentle and sweet.
Unless you piss her off.
- Taylor: Now that you're going home, I'm all of a sudden a red flag.
You're not going to try to embarrass me nor make me a fool.
And now you're gonna go pack up and leave.
- She's a badass.
- Taylor: Do you think you can date a mom?
Actually? Not just [bleep] one, date one.
- He slept with one of her friends and came here.
- Taylor: I might as well have my ex come in. Leave.
Get the car and leave.
- I think the roses are a powerful symbol.
- Don't really care.
I'd like them back.
- This is the epitome of there being no rules at all.
-Man: ♪ Taking me out of the ordinary ♪
♪ I want you to lay me down ♪
- I am absolutely falling for her.
- Man: She's what I look for in a wife.
I know her, I trust her, and I love her.
- I am optimistic that the man of my dreams is here.
-Man: ♪ Angels up in the clouds ♪
- Jesse: Taylor Frankie Paul, I mean this when I say it.
You have totally kept us on our toes.
But it's led us to this point.
- Taylor: This ends in love or heartbreak.
He's a risk that I'm taking.
- You're just worried the other person's not ready.
- Yes. Hopefully it's the right decision.
♪♪
Because I made the wrong one, like, so many times.
- Jesse: It all starts next Sunday
on the most explosive season of The Bachelorette yet.