ABC’s new season of The Bachelorette — fully filmed and slated to premiere this Sunday — has been pulled by parent company Disney after a video surfaced showing a 2023 incident involving would-be bachelorette Taylor Frankie Paul and her then‑boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. TMZ published the footage on Thursday; the clip, which NPR has not independently authenticated, appears to show Paul striking Mortensen and throwing barstools while a child is audible in the room. Disney said it would not move forward with the season and that its immediate focus is supporting the family. The development has paused related productions, renewed scrutiny of Paul’s past legal case and left the franchise’s next steps uncertain.
Key Takeaways
- Disney shelved Season 22 of The Bachelorette on Thursday after a TMZ‑published video surfaced showing an alleged 2023 assault involving Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen.
- The footage, filmed by Mortensen, reportedly shows Paul hitting, grabbing and throwing three barstools; a child is heard in the room. Paul has three children, including a son, Ever, born March 2024.
- Paul was arrested after a February 2023 incident in Herriman, Utah, and court records show she pleaded guilty to third‑degree felony aggravated assault and is serving 36 months of probation.
- Paul confirmed her selection as the Bachelorette on a September 2025 podcast; she had previously come to public attention as a founder figure in the #MomTok community and a star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives (SLOMW), which premiered in 2024.
- Filming of SLOMW was paused earlier amid reports of an investigation; Draper City police said contact was made with involved parties on Feb. 24 and 25 while the probe remained active.
- ABC scheduled a rerun of American Idol in the Bachelorette timeslot; Disney has not said whether the shelved season will ever air.
Background
Taylor Frankie Paul, 31, rose to prominence through social media as a leading figure in a Utah‑based MomTok collective that gained traction beginning in 2020. The group mixed lifestyle content with overtly religious context, and Paul parlayed that visibility into a spot on the 2024 documentary‑style series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which examined marriage, faith and online fame among its cast. The show became Hulu’s most‑watched unscripted debut of 2024 and was quickly renewed.
Paul’s public profile has not been without controversy. In 2022 she disclosed a consensual nonmonogamy arrangement she called “soft swinging,” a revelation that precipitated her divorce from then‑husband Tate Paul and fractured parts of the MomTok community. Her personal life and relationships — including a widely reported, on‑again/off‑again relationship with Mortensen beginning in 2022 — have repeatedly overlapped with her media projects, making her a polarizing figure in both social and entertainment coverage.
Main Event
The immediate catalyst for the broadcasting decision was a video that TMZ published this week. According to reporting and the clip itself, Mortensen recorded an episode from 2023 that shows Paul striking and throwing objects; one moment in the footage reportedly includes Mortensen saying, “Your daughter is sitting right there,” while a child can be heard crying. NPR has not independently verified the tape’s provenance, though its description aligns with Herriman City Police Department’s account of a February 2023 call that led to arrest charges.
Court documents reviewed by NPR indicate Paul agreed to plead guilty to aggravated assault as a third‑degree felony and has been serving 36 months of probation tied to that disposition. In earlier public comments, Paul acknowledged that children were present during the incident but denied intentionally harming them. The case record and public statements have since become focal points for debate about eligibility and vetting for high‑profile reality TV casting.
Responses to the footage were swift. Disney Entertainment said it would not move forward with the season and emphasized support for the family. Paul’s representatives condemned Mortensen’s release of the video as part of a broader campaign against her, while Mortensen told outlets he denies assertions made about him and said he is concentrating on their son’s safety. Meanwhile, production on SLOMW and related projects was paused as outlets and local authorities reported ongoing inquiries into allegations involving both parties.
Analysis & Implications
The shelving of a major reality franchise season before its premiere is rare and signals that media companies are increasingly risk‑averse where allegations of domestic violence and child welfare are involved. For Disney, the decision trades an immediate ratings opportunity for reputational risk management: airing contested footage or a season tied to an unresolved legal and public‑relations dispute could invite advertiser and audience backlash.
Legally, the public disclosure of material tied to prior proceedings raises questions about evidence handling and privacy. TMZ said the video had been used in legal proceedings; NPR could not confirm chain‑of‑custody or whether additional legal actions are pending. For Paul, ongoing probation and prior guilty plea restrict certain activities and complicate any public comeback, especially within family‑oriented programming.
For the Bachelor franchise — already grappling with falling viewership and recurring post‑broadcast scandals — the episode underscores the limits of casting for virality. ABC’s experiment of choosing someone outside the traditional Bachelor pipeline was meant to boost relevance, but it increases exposure to off‑set controversies that can derail programming calendars. Internationally, partners and advertisers will likely press for clearer vetting and contractual protections to avoid sudden pullbacks.
Comparison & Data
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Feb 2023 | Herriman arrest; charges filed against Paul |
| Mar 2024 | Birth of Paul and Mortensen’s son, Ever |
| Sep 2025 | Paul announces she is The Bachelorette (Call Her Daddy) |
| Feb 24–25, 2026 | Draper police report contact with involved parties (investigation ongoing) |
| Mar 2026 | TMZ publishes video; Disney shelves The Bachelorette season |
The table places the current pause in a broader timeline of legal and production milestones. Paul’s probation term of 36 months, entered after the 2023 plea, overlaps with subsequent public projects and an ongoing public spotlight that complicates network decisions about programming and legal exposure.
Reactions & Quotes
News organizations, network representatives and the two principals have all issued statements that reflect competing narratives and priorities.
“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.”
Disney Entertainment (statement reported by Associated Press)
This was followed by spokespeople for Paul and Mortensen offering strongly divergent takes on motive and context. Paul’s team framed the video release as part of an ongoing campaign against her, while Mortensen described the situation as upsetting and emphasized his priority of protecting their child.
“The latest installment of [Mortensen’s] never‑ending, desperate, attention‑seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor …”
Representative for Taylor Frankie Paul (statement to NBC News / People)
“I categorically deny these baseless claims … I am focusing on our son and his safety.”
Dakota Mortensen (statement to Entertainment Weekly)
Unconfirmed
- The authenticity and full chain of custody of the TMZ video have not been independently verified by NPR and remain contested by Paul’s representatives.
- Details and scope of the Draper City Police investigation referenced by People are not public; the exact nature of contacts on Feb. 24–25 is unclarified.
- Reports of other alleged incidents or additional evidence beyond the 2023 footage have not been substantiated in public records at this time.
Bottom Line
The decision to pull The Bachelorette season illustrates how past legal matters and new public disclosures can intersect to halt major entertainment projects. Disney prioritized immediate damage control and family support amid conflicting accounts and active inquiries; whether that becomes a permanent shelving or a delayed airing depends on the verification of evidence, legal developments and internal risk assessments.
For viewers and industry observers, this episode raises broader questions about vetting high‑profile reality contestants, the responsibility of platforms to audiences and children, and how networks balance commercial incentives against legal and ethical risks. Expect further updates as law enforcement statements, court filings and company decisions evolve.