Before Josh Harward joined Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette,” he already had a 15-year history with her family. That history even includes a brief romance with her younger sister.
This week, the Season 22 contestant from Provo, Utah, opened up on the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast. There, he confirmed the rumors about his connection to Paul and her family. The interview revealed one of the wildest backstories yet from Taylor’s unaired season.
“We go way back,” Harward said. He grew up around Taylor’s family, went to school with them and played sports with some of her cousins. Over the years, he stayed in touch with them for about 15-plus years. He also said Taylor’s mom drove him to some of their family parties.
Josh Sets the Record Straight on Taylor Frankie Paul’s Sister Aspyn
Most fans wanted answers about the rumored romance with Paul’s younger sister Aspyn. Harward addressed that head-on.
“There’s rumors that float around and I’ll put those to ease,” he said. “I’ve never been engaged to or married her younger sister Aspyn. But we did date. That was never anywhere close to the extent.”
That relationship lasted just two days in sixth grade. It also started with a note.
“We were boyfriend and girlfriend, me and her younger sister, for I think two whole days,” Harward said. “We were sixth graders, I think we were 12 years old, little kids. We passed a little note to each other: ‘Will you be my girlfriend? Will you be my boyfriend? Yes or no?’ And that’s the history that made itself, so we just stayed best friends forever and that was pretty much the extent of it.”
Later, Harward stayed close to the family and connected more directly with Taylor during the pandemic. At the time, she was starting to gain traction on TikTok. According to Harward, she came to him for tips. The two also made fake pregnancy videos together to grab attention online.
Harward also cleared up the timeline of his feelings for Taylor. He said he did not pursue anything while she was married.
“I knew that for a while there, she was married to a really great guy,” Harward said. “And so there was no intent or anything like that. But when the door was opened and she was open to it, that’s where I had the opportunity to strike and here we are.”
Where Taylor Frankie Paul’s ‘Bachelorette’ Season Stands
Harward’s backstory with Paul is undeniably wild. A much more serious backdrop still surrounds it. ABC canceled Taylor Frankie Paul’s season shortly before its planned premiere. Since then, contestants have shared more of their stories on “Bachelor Happy Hour.”
For now, this episode stands out as one of the most revealing yet. A sixth-grade note, 15-plus years of family history and a whole lot of TikTok lore make this one hard to ignore. Bachelor Nation has heard some unexpected backstories before, but this one belongs near the top.
