ABC has decided to cancel the upcoming season of “The Bachelorette” featuring Taylor Frankie Paul due to a video released in 2023. The cancellation, announced on Thursday, came just before the scheduled premiere on Sunday. Disney Entertainment Television stated that they will not proceed with the new season in light of the recently surfaced video and are focusing on supporting the family.
The video in question, from 2023, showed an altercation between Paul and Dakota Mortensen. Paul faced legal consequences, including charges of aggravated assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child. She later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of aggravated assault, with other charges being dismissed. Authorities in Draper City, Utah, confirmed an ongoing domestic violence investigation involving Paul and Mortensen, her ex-boyfriend, with allegations made by both parties. Mortensen is the father of one of Paul’s children.
Representatives for Paul and Mortensen have not responded to requests for comment. ABC has not disclosed plans regarding the show’s timeslot.
Despite promoting Season 22 recently, Paul’s involvement as the lead in “The Bachelorette” raised eyebrows as she had no prior appearances in the Bachelor franchise. Her selection was seen as unique, given her background on the reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which airs on Hulu, also owned by Disney. ABC praised Paul for her influence in the #MomTok community, a group of LDS women sharing their lives on TikTok. Paul gained attention in 2022 for announcing changes in her marital agreement and subsequent divorce.
Paul confirmed the completion of filming for “The Bachelorette” in a December Instagram post. The show is hosted by Jesse Palmer.