When news broke that Taylor Frankie Paul would be the next star of “The Bachelorette,” some were surprised to see the dating series name a newcomer as lead of the show for the first time. But Paul’s “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives“ co-star Jen Affleck wasn’t one of them.

“I’ve been saying this for a minute now. In fact, I literally mentioned this to Taylor, I want to say even like last year. I was like, ‘What if you were the next Bachelorette?’” Affleck tells TODAY.com during a recent video call.

Affleck, who has had a front row seat to Paul’s complicated relationship history in recent years, says she’s always thought her co-star would bring a fresh perspective to “The Bachelorette,” which has been airing since 2003.

“Especially because I feel like ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ ha

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