ABC has pulled the upcoming season of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul following the release of a disturbing video showing a 2023 altercation with her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. The move comes just days before the season was set to premiere on March 22, adding another layer of complexity to a situation already under investigation.
The network’s decision followed the release of footage obtained by TMZ, which depicts Paul grabbing and kicking Mortensen, who claims she is engaging in “physical abuse.” The video also shows Paul throwing a chair, with her young daughter reportedly nearby. The incident is separate from an alleged domestic dispute in February that initially prompted an investigation.
The fallout has been swift, impacting not only The Bachelorette but also Paul’s other projects. Production on Season 5 of Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been paused, and sources say contestants from her Bachelorette season were surprised by the news of the allegations. This situation underscores the increasing scrutiny reality television faces when confronting accusations of abuse.
Paul, who rose to fame through the “MomTok” community, had been actively promoting the upcoming season earlier this week, making appearances on national television despite mounting headlines. She appeared on Good Morning America, where she described the situation as “heavy” and said she plans to share more when the time is right, while focusing on her children. She also appeared on Live with Kelly and Mark, acknowledging she’d “had better days.”
What happened?
Authorities in Utah have confirmed an active domestic assault investigation involving Paul, 31, and Mortensen, 33, who share a 1-year-old son, Ever. The Draper City Police Department stated that officers made contact with both parties on February 24 and 25, and that allegations of domestic violence have been made by both individuals, according to People.
Taylor Frankie Paul at the 98th Annual Oscars earlier this month. (Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images)
(Lexie Moreland via Getty Images)
The incident first came to light in a report by TMZ, just hours after Paul walked the Oscars red carpet.
Authorities have declined to release further details while the case remains open. Competing accounts have emerged through unnamed sources, with allegations surfacing on both sides about who was physical during the alleged altercation.
The video released by TMZ on Thursday depicts a disturbing fight between Mortensen and Paul, reportedly from 2023. In the footage, Paul is seen grabbing and kicking Mortensen, who claims she is engaging in “physical abuse.” Paul is also seen throwing a chair at Mortensen with her young daughter seemingly nearby.
Following the video’s release, representatives for Paul said in a statement, per Variety, “It’s sad to notice the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child. Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the demonstrate, and from their own experiences.”
The Bachelorette‘s rollout continues — with questions
As of Wednesday, one network source told Yahoo that the show was still planned to air as scheduled. A spokesperson did not respond to Yahoo’s request for comment on Thursday.
Paul continued with promotional appearances this week, including an interview on Good Morning America, where she acknowledged the situation as “heavy” and said she plans to share more when the time is right while focusing on her children. She also appeared on Live with Kelly and Mark, saying she’s “had better days.”
Some within Bachelor Nation are questioning how the network is handling the situation. Former Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas suggested on The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast that the network may be operating in “crisis control.” (TMZ reports a crisis PR team was hired by the network as producers were reportedly blindsided by the news.)
Pappas speculated that access and interview questions around the season’s debut may have been carefully managed with Paul after listening to audio of interviews.
“I grasp that they are all scrambling to kind of set a Band-Aid over this,” she said, while also predicting the season could still draw strong ratings despite the controversy.
Brand deals shift as controversy builds
The most immediate public fallout has come from the business side. Cinnabon has ended its partnership with both The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, citing recent developments involving Paul.
The collaboration had recently launched, with the brand rolling out a “Swirled Soda” promotion inspired by a viral soda trend popularized by the Mormon Wives cast.
Production halted and ripple effects spread
Beyond The Bachelorette, the investigation has already had tangible consequences across Paul’s reality TV orbit.
Production on Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has paused as authorities investigate allegations involving Paul and Mortensen, Variety reports. A source told the outlet the pause is expected to be temporary and that the alleged incident did not occur while cameras were rolling.
Cast members say it was a collective choice to stop filming as the situation unfolded. “It was a decision that all of us girls came up with and agreed on. We didn’t feel comfortable filming with everything that was happening,” costar Mikayla Matthews said on social media.
Paul confirmed during an appearance on Good Morning America that filming has stopped, though she said she was not privy to any further information.
Taylor Frankie Paul with co-stars Jessi Ngatikaura, Jennifer Affleck, Mayci Neeley and Mikayla Matthews at a The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reunion event. (Fred Hayes/Disney)
(Fred Hayes via Getty Images)
Costars caught off guard as fallout spreads across both shows
The impact of the investigation has also been felt behind the scenes across both of Paul’s reality TV worlds.
On The Bachelorette, a source told People that several of the men who appeared on Paul’s season were caught off guard by the news and felt betrayed.
Another insider, however, told the outlet that Paul remains on good terms with the contestants. Some in Paul’s circle are reportedly worried for her well-being.
A relationship with a complicated history
The current investigation is not the first time Paul and Mortensen’s relationship has intersected with legal trouble.
Paul was arrested in 2023 following an alleged altercation in which she was accused of hitting Mortensen and throwing metal chairs, with one chair reportedly striking her other child. She ultimately struck a deal and pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault. The other charges were dismissed.
“It was a regret,” she previously told Fox News Digital about her arrest. “Hitting rock bottom, there’s only one way to go, and it helped me to go up. So, honestly, as terrible as that night was, I think it was also like a blessing in disguise and maybe could have saved my life in a weird way, like, where I was just drowning in misery.”
A familiar pattern for Bachelor Nation
While the current situation’s timing is unusual, the franchise has faced major controversies before.
Former Bachelor Colton Underwood’s ex Cassie Randolph obtained a restraining order in 2020 after accusing him of stalking, and harassment.
Production on Bachelor in Paradise was temporarily halted in 2017 during an investigation into alleged misconduct before filming resumed.
