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 pull the already recorded season of the popular reality show came just before its scheduled premiere on Sunday.
A statement from Disney Entertainment Television stated, “In light of the newly released video that emerged today, we have opted 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, from 2023, showed an altercation between Paul and Dakota Mortensen. Paul had been arrested in 2023 and faced charges of aggravated assault and domestic violence in front of a child, among others. She later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of aggravated assault, with the other charges being dropped.
Authorities in Draper City, Utah, confirmed an ongoing domestic violence investigation involving Paul and Mortensen, her former partner, with allegations being made from both sides. Mortensen is the father of one of Paul’s three children.
Despite requests for comments from representatives of Paul and Mortensen going unanswered, ABC did not disclose its plans regarding the show’s timeslot.
Paul, who was actively promoting Season 22 on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and at the Oscars before the recent developments, had not previously been part of the “Bachelor” franchise, unlike past leads. However, her involvement did offer a connection as she also features on Hulu’s reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” with both Hulu and ABC being under Disney’s ownership.
Known for her influence in the #MomTok community on TikTok, Paul gained attention in 2022 when she publicly announced changes in her marital relationship. Filming for “The Bachelorette,” hosted by Jesse Palmer, had wrapped up as confirmed by Paul in an Instagram post in December.
