ABC has cancelled the upcoming 22nd season of The Bachelorette after leaked footage showed its star, Taylor Frankie Paul, physically assaulting her former partner. The season was due to premiere on Sunday, but the network decided to pull it following the release of a video from 2023 showing Paul kicking Dakota Mortensen and throwing metal chairs, with her young daughter present.
Paul, 31, a TikTok influencer known for appearing on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, had been cast as the lead. She pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in 2023 after an arrest for domestic violence and is currently serving three years' probation. An ongoing domestic assault investigation in Utah also involves allegations from both parties, according to the Draper City police department.
The leaked video, obtained by People magazine, shows Mortensen telling Paul, 'Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair!' as a child is heard crying. An indictment revealed that the child was struck by a chair thrown by Paul. In response, a Disney spokesperson said, 'In light of the newly released video, 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 issued a statement criticising Mortensen's 'never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor' as 'a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behaviour.' Production on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, also under Disney, has reportedly been paused. ABC has not confirmed if the season, filmed last year, will air later.
