February 23, 2026
Evan Mulling/Disney
Ocean County native Mike T. will appear on Season 22 of 'The Bachelorette,' premiering March 22 on ABC.
Twenty-two men will romance "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" star Taylor Frankie Paul on the next season of "The Bachelorette," but only one hails from the region.
Mike T., a 36-year-old from Lavallette, Ocean County, is joining the Season 22 cast of the ABC reality show. The Jersey Shore man is the sole suitor from the Garden State and one of just four contestants from the Mid-Atlantic region. Most of the men call the South or West Coast home; seven hail from California alone.
According to ABC, "Mike. T." is a brand protection manager. Reality TV sleuths have identified him as Michael Turitto, an employee of the intellectual property law firm Epstein Drangel LLC in New York City.
His "Bachelorette" bio describes him as a "reformed bad boy" who enjoys bonfires on the beach. His other interests include the New York Yankees, "The Sopranos" and the moisturizer Aquaphor.
Mike T. claims he's "ready to embrace a father-figure role," perhaps referencing Paul's three children. The next "Bachelorette" gained social media fame as a founding member of the Mormon MomTok community and broke into reality television through the Hulu series "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives." She'll welcome Mike T. and his competition to the "Bachelorette" mansion in the new season premiere on Sunday, March 22, at 8 p.m.
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