A channel spokesperson said: “We have made the decision to not move forward with the new season.”
Taylor Frankie Paul was due to star in the new series of The Bachelorette(Image: Disney via Getty Images)
The new series of reality TV dating show The Bachelorette has been cancelled following domestic violence allegations against one of its stars. A video of Taylor Frankie Paul appearing to assault her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen had been published by TMZ.
Taylor was announced as the star of the latest series of the show, which is a spin-off from The Bachelor and sees a woman choosing a husband from a large pool of romantic interests. It had been a huge success for US network ABC and Paul was due to be central to its 22nd series.
However, a spokesperson for ABC owner Disney said today it would be pulling the show, which has already been filmed and was due to air on TV in a matter of days.
It 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.”
TMZ obtained a video of a 2023 incident with Taylor and her ex, Dakota, where she was arrested for and charged with assault, criminal mischief, and domestic violence in the presence of a child. In the video Dakota can be heard saying: “This is called physical abuse.”
Police bodycam footage of Taylor’s arrest in the 2023 incident was played on the first episode of Hulu’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
A spokesperson for Paul issued a statement to People in response to the video. It said: “It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.
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“Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son’s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences.”
Paul also confirmed that the next series of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which first aired in 2024, has paused production for its fifth season. Her co-star, Mikayla Matthews said: “It was a decision that all of us girls came up with. We didn’t feel comfortable filming with everything that was happening.”
Paul rose to fame on social media as part of a group of young mothers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who made dance videos and parenting content in Utah.
It has been reported that Salt Lake County District Court records show Mortensen today filed for a protective order against Paul via his attorney, but that the filing was sent back for a correction and an amended petition.