ABC cancels “The Bachelorette” season days before premiere after video shows star throwing chair at ex-boyfriend, striking child [VIDEO]
Taylor Frankie Paul, star of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” faces domestic violence investigation as Disney pulls the plug on Season 22
ABC has made an unprecedented decision to cancel the upcoming season of “The Bachelorette” just days before its scheduled premiere, following the release of a disturbing 2023 video showing the show’s star, Taylor Frankie Paul, in a physical altercation with her then-boyfriend. The video was published by TMZ this afternoon (March 19). It captures Paul putting Dakota Mortensen in a headlock and throwing metal chairs at him. One of the chairs appeared to strike her young daughter.
The cancellation marks the most significant fallout in the history of the long-running reality franchise, which was set to debut Season 22 on Sunday, March 22. Disney Entertainment Television issued a statement Thursday confirming the decision: “In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of ‘The Bachelorette’ at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family.” The move comes as the Draper City Police Department in Utah conducts an ongoing domestic violence investigation involving both Paul and Mortensen. It says allegations were made “in both directions” following a separate incident in February 2026.
The Video: What the Footage Shows
The cellphone video obtained by TMZ, reportedly filmed in 2023, shows a chaotic scene inside a residence where Paul and Mortensen are engaged in a heated argument. Paul is seen putting Mortensen in a headlock before throwing multiple metal chairs in his direction. One of the chairs strikes Paul’s then-five-year-old daughter, Indy. She can be heard crying and saying “mommy” in the footage. Meanwhile, Paul continues screaming at Mortensen.
“You did this!” Paul yelled during the incident, according to the video. Mortensen responded, “Stop throwing stuff and help your daughter! I did none of this. You’re doing this to yourself. Your daughter just got hit in the head with a metal chair.” Law enforcement arrived shortly thereafter. Thus, leading to Paul’s arrest that same year.
The release of the video on Thursday drew an immediate response from Paul’s representative. The representative claimed the footage was “selectively edited” and part of a campaign against her. “It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child,” the rep told TMZ. “Releasing an old and selectively edited video on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior.”
Paul’s Previous Legal Troubles and Guilty Plea
The 2023 incident was not new to those familiar with Paul’s legal history. When “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” premiered on Hulu in 2024, the very first episode opened with police body camera footage of Paul’s arrest following the altercation with Mortensen. She was originally charged with aggravated assault, child abuse, criminal mischief, and domestic violence in the presence of a child.
In August 2023, Paul entered a plea in abeyance to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault. Under the three-year agreement, she was required to avoid violating the law for 36 months and complete supervised probation. If she successfully meets the conditions, the felony charge will be reduced to a Class A misdemeanor. Other charges included child abuse and criminal mischief. However, they were dropped as part of the plea deal.
A review date for Paul’s case was scheduled for August 2026. Notably, on February 6, 2026, the Adult Probation & Parole Department ruled that Paul had fulfilled all terms of her plea in abeyance. So, her supervision transferred to the court ahead of the final review. This timeline places the fulfillment of her probation requirements just weeks before the new domestic violence investigation emerged.
The New Investigation: February 2026 Incident
The Draper City Police Department confirmed to multiple outlets that there is an ongoing “domestic assault investigation” involving both Paul and Mortensen stemming from an incident that occurred on February 24 and 25, 2026. According to a police spokesperson, “allegations have been made in both directions,” and law enforcement made contact with the involved parties on those dates.
This new investigation reportedly took place after Paul had wrapped filming for “The Bachelorette” in December 2025, but during production for the upcoming fifth season of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Sources confirmed to People magazine that filming for Season 5 of the Hulu reality series has been paused as the situation unfolds. “They are not filming,” one source shared. “Taylor has some pretty serious stuff happening regarding her past, and they will see what happens. Until that resolves, they are off.”
Additional sources indicated that Paul’s fellow cast members are distancing themselves from her amid the controversy. “None of the women want to be associated with her,” another source noted .
ABC’s Unconventional Casting Choice and Fallout
Paul’s selection as “The Bachelorette” was itself a departure from franchise tradition. Unlike previous leads, the 31-year-old mother of three had never appeared on “The Bachelor” franchise before—a break from the typical practice of casting runners-up from previous seasons. Her casting appeared to be a strategic move for synergy, as she already starred on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” another Disney-owned property on Hulu.
In a statement confirming her casting in October 2024, ABC credited Paul with “igniting ‘MomTok’ and going viral for pulling back the curtain on Salt Lake’s soft-swinging scene.” She became known as an influencer in the #MomTok community. That is a group of women from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sharing their lives on TikTok. After that, she made headlines in 2022 when she announced her divorce from ex-husband Tate Paul amid revelations about “soft swinging” within their social circle.
Just days before the cancellation, Paul was actively promoting the upcoming season. She appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, March 18, where she addressed the ongoing investigation carefully. “Honestly, it’s been a heavy time to see the headlines, especially during this time of ‘The Bachelorette’ being released, and it’s supposed to be a really exciting time,” Paul said. “I’m a person that will always speak my truth. That’s what I’m known for, and so when the time is right, I will be [sharing more]. My kids come first, and so it’s been just a back and forth process trying to be here in the present moment [and] worrying about home and headlines.”
At a press event the same week, she also addressed the situation. Therefore, telling Us Weekly, “There’s more to the context to everything, and it’s unfortunate. It’s been hard, and it sucks to be in this position. And the mother that I am, that is something I will always stand my ground on. I believe that I am a good mother and I have always treated my kids very well.”
Mortensen’s Response and Co-Parenting Concerns
Dakota Mortensen, who shares nearly 2-year-old son Ever with Paul, has also issued a statement through his representative. The rep told Entertainment Weekly that Mortensen’s focus is on the well-being of their child. “His No. 1 priority here is protecting Ever. He knew there was a possibility it could come out, but he was not going to be the one to proactively do that because he has always wanted a decent relationship with Taylor. It’s been really hard to achieve that, but he wants to coparent well” .
Paul and Mortensen’s relationship has been documented as tumultuous over the years. They dated on and off from 2022 until 2024 and reconciled after the 2023 incident. After that, welcoming son Ever in March 2024. The couple ultimately called it quits for good in fall 2025. This was shortly before Paul departed to film “The Bachelorette.” The most recent season of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” included a bombshell revelation that Paul spent the night with Mortensen the night before she left to film the show.
Industry Fallout: Brand Deals and Production Halted
The controversy has already impacted Paul’s professional relationships beyond the ABC cancellation. Cinnabon dropped Paul and her fellow “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” cast members from a brand deal. The company stated the sponsorship “no longer aligns with our brand values.” Production on Season 5 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” remains paused indefinitely as the network assesses the situation.
ABC has not announced what will fill the timeslot previously occupied by “The Bachelorette” or whether the already-completed season will ever see the light of day. The network’s statement offered no details on future plans for the franchise. Thus, leaving fans and the 22 men who participated in filming for Paul’s season in limbo.
The Associated Press noted that Thursday’s cancellation of an already-filmed season is unprecedented in the long-running reality television show’s history. Representatives for Paul and Mortensen did not immediately return requests for additional comment following ABC’s announcement .