There are plenty of chicken in the sea for Jessica Simpson after her split from Eric Johnson — even without the help of The Bachelorette.
The singer, 45, fielded questions about rumors that she will be joining the ABC dating show while walking into LAX airport on Monday, January 12, and quickly shut down hopes that she’ll follow in Taylor Frankie Paul’s footsteps as the next already famous lead.
“I have options. I’m good,” Simpson quipped to TMZ when asked whether The Bachelorette is in the cards for her.
When further pressed about the show — which a reporter noted would have “huge ratings” with Simpson in the title role — she replied, “No, I don’t care about that.”
Earlier in TMZ’s clip, Simpson addressed rumors that she and Johnson, 46, are considering reconciliation after announcing their separation last year. The former reality star didn’t comment on the speculation but confirmed that she and Johnson are amicable, saying, “We’ve always been friends.”
Simpson announced her split from Johnson in January 2025 after 10 years of marriage, following months of speculation that the duo were on the outs.
“Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” she told Us Weekly in a statement at the time. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”
After the announcement, an insider told Us that the estranged couple had tried to make it work for a while but ultimately decided it was time to pull the plug.
“They’d done counseling before, but it didn’t get them anywhere, and Jessica wasn’t interested in doing it again,” the source explained in a January 2025 cover story. “They’ve had enough of the back-and-forth and ups and downs. They want different things.”
By November 2024, insiders told Us, Simpson was saying she was single and wanted a divorce. At the same time, she was working on her Nashville Canyon EP, which she described as “personal,” adding, “It’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve.”
Simpson and Johnson tied the knot in July 2014 after four years of dating. They share three children: daughters Maxwell, 13, and Birdie, 6, and son Ace, 12.
Simpson was previously married to Nick Lachey from 2002 to 2006. She was first spotted with Johnson in 2010, the same year he split from ex-wife Keri D’Angelo. In November of that year, Us confirmed that the former NFL player popped the question to Simpson after six months of dating.
Last month, another insider told Us that Simpson and Johnson aren’t planning on giving their romance another try but noted the pair are putting all their energy toward coparenting at the moment.
“They’re not considering getting back together, but they have love and respect for each other,” the source explained, adding that the duo “are in no rush to file for divorce” because they are “focusing on their kids right now and will always put them first.”
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