If you heard a loud gasp today, it may have been Bachelor Nation. Three days before Season 22 was set to premiere, The Bachelorette is officially off the schedule. Which means there will be no watch parties to see who gets the final rose, and the reason is dark.
On Thursday, ABC’s parent company, The Walt Disney Company, confirmed it would not move forward with the new season amid an ongoing police investigation involving its lead, Taylor Frankie Paul.
Pulling a franchise this large, with marketing spent, press lined up, and affiliates booked, just 72 hours before launch, is almost unheard of in modern network television.
© GettyThe decision came hours after TMZ resurfaced a 2023 video that shows Paul in a physical altercation with her ex, Dakota Mortensen, while a child was present. It showed her pushing and kicking him, putting him in a chokehold, and throwing stools at him. Their child can be heard crying, and the police report says the 5-year-old was hit and sustained an injury to her head.
“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 said in a statement.
Why did they cast her to begin with?
© GettyWhat’s baffling is that Taylor was even allowed the opportunity at all. This has been on her record, and this is not a new revelation. The footage is from 2023, and she pled guilty to aggravated assault and has been on probation for 3 years for the incident. She is still on it until August, per TMZ.
An NBC article from February 2023 clearly has a statement from a Herriman City Police Department spokesperson: “Following her jail booking, detectives received additional video evidence related to this case that resulted in the case being referred to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office for screening of felony assault charges against Ms. Paul.”
The child is mentioned too. “This evidence also suggests that during the incident, Ms. Paul’s minor child was injured by an action of Ms. Paul. Subsequently, our investigators are also screening a misdemeanor charge of reckless child abuse with the District Attorney’s Office,” it continues.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s statement
After the cancellation, her spokesperson told Page Six: “Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security.”
The statement continued, “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.”
Meanwhile, Paul has been trying to dance away the hate on TikTok. Last week she shared a video saying, “Lay it on me…this isn’t my first, second, or even my third rode. I basically have a degree in handling online hate.”
As for who won the show? Three days ago, she teased that she was with a man on TikTok, showing half of his body, writing, “I can’t hear you, I’m kinda busy.”
Dakota Mortenson responds
© GettyFollowing her statement, Dakota told TMZ, “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,” he added.
Mortensen has filed for a restraining order and requested sole custody of their son, alleging multiple incidents of physical confrontation. He described one alleged encounter as “frightening,” claiming he called 911 for help but she “pressured and manipulated” him to end the call, per TMZ.
A week of chaos
Earlier this week, the Draper City Police Department confirmed that Paul and Mortensen are connected to an open domestic assault investigation, noting that “allegations have been made in both directions.” The Utah Division of Children and Family Services has also ordered both parents to undergo a psychological evaluation.
Before the leak, Paul addressed the situation while attending a press preview for the show on March 17. “Honestly, just like, my heart hurts to see it, to go through it, especially at this time,” she said. “Just the timing is hard, and it’s a big deal. 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.”
Paul rose to fame as one of the creators behind #MomTok and stars on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which has also reportedly paused filming amid the investigation.
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