ABC has decided to cancel the upcoming season of “The Bachelorette,” featuring Taylor Frankie Paul, due to a recently surfaced video from 2023. The announcement to halt the already recorded season of the popular reality TV series was made on Thursday, just before its scheduled premiere on Sunday.
Disney Entertainment Television released a statement stating, “In light of the newly released video that emerged today, we have chosen not to proceed with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time, with our primary focus on supporting the family.”
The video in question, dated 2023, depicts an altercation between Paul and Dakota Mortensen, which was publicized by TMZ on Thursday. Paul faced legal consequences in 2023, being arrested and charged with aggravated assault, including domestic violence in the presence of a child. Subsequently, she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor aggravated assault charge in August, with the other charges being dropped.
Authorities in Draper City, Utah, revealed an ongoing domestic violence investigation involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend Mortensen, with allegations made from both sides. Mortensen is the father of one of Paul’s three children.
Despite attempts to reach out for comments, representatives for Paul and Mortensen have not responded. ABC has not disclosed plans regarding the show’s timeslot in their statement.
Paul, who was actively promoting Season 22 on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and at the Oscars telecast, was an unconventional choice to lead “The Bachelorette.” Unlike previous leads, the 31-year-old had no prior appearances in the “Bachelor” franchise, deviating from the usual practice of casting former runners-up.
However, her selection did create synergy as she also stars in the Hulu reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” coincidentally owned by Disney, which also owns ABC. ABC credited Paul, back in October, for her role in “igniting ‘MomTok’ and gaining attention for shedding light on Salt Lake’s soft-swinging scene.”
Paul gained recognition as an influencer within the #MomTok community, a group of LDS women sharing their lives on TikTok. In 2022, she made headlines by announcing her divorce and breaking an agreement with her husband regarding relationships with other couples.
In December, Paul confirmed the completion of filming for “The Bachelorette” on Instagram, with the show being hosted by Jesse Palmer.