ABC has cancelled the upcoming season of The Bachelorette after leaked footage showed the show's star, Taylor Frankie Paul, physically assaulting her former partner. The 22nd season, which was set to premiere on Sunday, has been pulled following the emergence of video evidence from 2023.
The footage, released on Thursday, shows Paul kicking Dakota Mortensen and throwing metal chairs, with her five-year-old daughter present. An indictment obtained by People magazine confirms that Paul threw “heavy, metal chairs” at Mortensen, and the child was struck. Paul later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and is serving three years' probation.
Paul, 31, gained fame on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and was cast as the lead Bachelorette. She had been under investigation for domestic violence since her 2023 arrest, with an ongoing “domestic assault investigation” into a separate incident in February 2024. Draper City police told People that “allegations have been made in both directions” between Paul and Mortensen.
In a statement, Disney said: “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.” Paul’s team criticised Mortensen’s “never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor”.
Production on the latest season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, also under Disney, has reportedly been paused. ABC has not confirmed whether the already-filmed season will air in the future.
