ABC has canceled Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette” after the release of a disturbing 2023 video that shows the reality star throwing chairs at her ex Dakota Mortensen during a domestic violence incident. The news comes just three days before Season 22 was supposed to kick off.
“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 network tells Page Six in a statement.
A source tells Page Six the network will be airing an “American Idol” re-run in its place on Sunday.
Of the cancelation, a spokesperson for Paul exclusively told Page Six, “Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”
ABC announced their decision on Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette.” Disney
Paul already filmed the season and was doing press for it when the announcement was made. Disney
“There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives,” they add. “Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation, and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”
The decision comes on the heels of another alleged domestic abuse dispute between the former couple that occurred in February.
Paul’s other reality show, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” halted production on Season 5 last week amidst an investigation into the recent incident.
Paul already filmed and was doing press for Season 22 of “The Bachelorette,” which was set to premiere Sunday, March 22.
A group of 22 men were selected to vie for Paul’s heart.
A group of 22 men were cast to vie for Paul’s heart. (Paul is pictured above on “The Bachelorette.”) Disney
Paul (seen above on “The Bachelorette”) was cast on the show despite being arrested in 2023 for domestic violence. Disney
She went on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday to promote the ABC series and compared the investigation into the latest alleged domestic abuse incident to “the end of the world.”
“It’s hard to see past this — I’m not going to lie — in this moment, it’s just so heavy,” she told host Lara Spencer.
“When your life is broadcasted out there in these headlines, it’s like the end of the world, that’s what it feels like — I’m not going to lie. I will say I’ve been here before and I got through it and I’ve shared my story and my light, and I’m hoping I can do that again,” she added.
Days before “The Bachelorette” was set to premiere, TMZ released a video showing Paul throwing chairs at her on-again, off-again partner, Dakota Mortensen, during their 2023 fight. Disney
Paul’s rep claimed that the video “conveniently omits context.” (Paul and Mortensen are pictured above on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”) Disney
She also addressed the drama on Tuesday at a press preview for “The Bachelorette,” telling People that she was upset over the “timing” of the alleged February incident.
“I feel like every premiere that I’ve experienced, I’ve never enjoyed fully, so this is another one… it’s extremely hard, and it took everything to get me here today,” she said.
Paul’s legal drama began in 2023 when she was arrested for alleged domestic violence after a fight with Mortensen. She was subsequently given misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child.
The charges were later dropped.
Paul and Mortensen were allegedly involved in another domestic violence dispute in February. Taylor Frankie Paul/Instagram
An investigation into the incident caused Hulu to halt production on “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” Season 5. (Paul is pictured above with two of her children.) Taylor Frankie Paul / Instagram
On Thursday, TMZ released a video of Paul throwing multiple chairs at Mortensen during their 2023 fight. One of the chairs allegedly hit Paul’s 8-year-old daughter, Indy, who was 5 at the time.
After police arrived, Mortensen — who has 2-year-old son, Ever, with Paul — told officials that Paul was “hammered” and he was “sober.”
A spokesperson for Paul told TMZ that the video “conveniently omits context” and accused Mortensen of being on a “never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.”
Paul, seen above on “The Bachelorette,” dated Mortensen from 2022 to 2024. Disney
The pair hooked up the night before Paul left to film “The Bachelorette.” Instagram / @taylorfrankiepaul
Mortensen, however, told Page Six, “As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation. I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”
A few days before the video came out, news broke about a domestic abuse investigation regarding a February incident between Paul and Mortensen.
A Draper City, Utah, Police Department spokesperson told People that “contact was made with involved parties on [Feb.] 24th and 25th” in the alleged incident, noting that accusations had been leveled “in both directions.”
During the Season 4 finale of “SLOMW” that came out March 12, it was revealed that Paul and Mortensen hooked up the night before she left to film “The Bachelorette.”
In a confessional, Mortensen said, “I’d be lying if I didn’t think there was a piece of me that just kind of wanted to go … see her [and] be with her, like, possibly for the last time.”