In a dramatic turn of events, the ABC television network has made the decision to cancel the upcoming season of its popular dating series, The Bachelorette. This move comes directly in response to newly surfaced video evidence showing the show's central star, Taylor Frankie Paul, engaging in a physical assault against her former partner.
Controversial Casting and Legal Troubles
Taylor Frankie Paul, a 31-year-old social media influencer who first gained public attention on the reality program The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, had been selected as the lead for the 22nd season of The Bachelorette. The season was scheduled to premiere this Sunday. However, Paul's history includes a 2023 arrest for domestic violence involving her ex-partner, Dakota Mortensen, to which she later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. She is currently serving a three-year probation sentence for that conviction.
New Video Evidence Emerges
The situation escalated significantly on Thursday when a leaked video from 2023 was made public. The footage vividly depicts Paul kicking Mortensen and hurling heavy metal chairs at him. Disturbingly, the altercation occurred in the presence of her young daughter, with audio capturing the child's cries after reportedly being struck by a chair. Mortensen can be heard exclaiming, "Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair!" An indictment obtained by People magazine corroborates that the child was indeed hit during the incident.
This leak followed a week where Paul had described the ongoing police investigation as "really difficult and heavy" during a press event. Initially, ABC appeared to be supporting their star, even as she withdrew from a scheduled appearance on The Tonight Show earlier in the week.
Network and Police Response
In light of the graphic video, Disney, the parent company of ABC, issued a formal statement announcing the cancellation. "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 statement read.
Meanwhile, the Draper City police department in Utah confirmed that an active "domestic assault investigation" is proceeding regarding a separate incident from February this year. A police spokesperson noted that "allegations have been made in both directions" between Paul and Mortensen.
Production Halts and Past Controversies
Production on the latest season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, another show featuring Paul that falls under the Disney-owned Hulu platform, has also reportedly been paused. This cancellation is not the first controversy for The Bachelorette franchise. Last season, winner Devin Strader faced scrutiny over a 2017 restraining order filed by a former girlfriend alleging physical assault, though Strader denied the accusations and the order was never granted.
Paul's representatives released a counter-statement, criticising Mortensen's actions as a "never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor" and labelling it "a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behaviour."
ABC has not provided any information regarding whether the fully filmed 22nd season of The Bachelorette might air at a later date, leaving the future of this installment uncertain.
