ABC abruptly canceled season 22 of The Bachelorette just three days before its scheduled premiere, pulling the plug on a highly anticipated rollout after newly surfaced footage showed star Taylor Frankie Paul allegedly assaulting her ex-partner.
The network confirmed the decision on March 19, stating that it would not move forward with the season “at this time” following the release of the video, which dates back to 2023. The footage, first published by TMZ, appears to show Paul throwing chairs during a heated confrontation with Dakota Mortensen while a child is present and crying.
The fallout has been immediate and far-reaching. Production on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — another reality series centered on Paul — has also been paused amid what sources described as “serious” developments tied to her past.
The incident at the center of the controversy is not new. Paul was arrested in 2023 following the altercation and faced multiple misdemeanor charges, including assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child. At the time, reports alleged that a chair thrown during the dispute struck her daughter. Paul later said the charges were dropped and described the episode as the most difficult period of her life, maintaining that she never intended harm toward her children.
Authorities have confirmed there is currently an open domestic assault investigation involving both Paul and Mortensen, with allegations made in both directions. Representatives for Mortensen say his focus remains on protecting their young son, while Paul’s team has pushed back aggressively, accusing him of releasing selectively edited footage to damage her reputation.
The timing has only intensified scrutiny. The video surfaced on the same day as their son’s birthday and just hours before ABC’s announcement, instantly transforming what was meant to be a career-defining moment into a reputational crisis.
For ABC and its parent company Disney, the decision reflects a zero-tolerance stance in the face of graphic allegations involving violence and children. For Paul, it marks a sudden and public unraveling — one that has halted not just a television season, but an entire reality TV trajectory, at least for now.
