ABC has canceled Season 22 of “The Bachelorette” just days before its scheduled premiere following the release of a 2023 video involving lead cast member Taylor Frankie Paul.
The network confirmed Thursday that the upcoming season would not move forward after the footage surfaced.
The season had been set to premiere Sunday.
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The video, published by TMZ, shows Paul in a physical altercation with her ex-boyfriend, reality TV personality Dakota Mortensen.
In the footage, Paul can be seen attacking Mortensen and throwing metal barstools while her child is present.
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“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,” a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson told People.
According to TMZ, the footage had been used as evidence in a domestic violence case involving Paul.
She later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was placed on three years of probation, which is set to end in August.
If Paul completes probation without further legal issues, the conviction will not appear on her record, the outlet reported.
Prosecutors also dropped four additional charges as part of the plea agreement, including domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse, and criminal mischief.
A police report from the incident stated that a 5-year-old child present during the altercation was struck and suffered a “goose egg on her head.”
The cancellation came after ABC had already completed filming for the season.
The decision to pull the show was made within days of its planned debut.
The video and cancellation prompted discussion on social media, including one X user who wrote, “ABC filmed an entire season of The Bachelorette before canceling it days before its premiere after TMZ released a video showing lead Taylor Frankie Paul throwing chairs at her ex-boyfriend,” while sharing a trailer for the season.
In promotional footage released before the cancellation, Paul introduced herself to viewers. “For those of you that don’t now me, I’m Taylor Frankie Paul, your new bachelorette,” the 31-year-old says in the trailer.
She added, “My rise to fame has been sudden, it was a huge deal, which led to The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”
Paul also addressed public scrutiny in the trailer, stating, “I’ve been criticized, I’ve been judged, and I’ve been rejected, but anyone that takes the time to get to know me will see that I’m actually a genuine person, and I mean well.”
ABC filmed an entire season of The Bachelorette before canceling it days before its premiere after TMZ released a video showing lead Taylor Frankie Paul throwing chairs at her ex-boyfriend
pic.twitter.com/z87prC7GCy— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) March 19, 2026
Paul is the mother of three children.
She shares an 8-year-old daughter, Indy, and a 5-year-old son, Ocean, with her ex-husband Tate Paul.
She also has a 2-year-old son, Ever, with Mortensen.
She and her husband separated in 2022 following a reported “soft-swinging” scandal.
Earlier this year, Paul confirmed that she and Mortensen had also split.
The situation has also affected other projects involving Paul.
A source told People that filming has been halted for Season 5 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” due to “some pretty serious stuff happening regarding [Paul’s] past.”
Separately, a spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department confirmed to People that there is an open “domestic assault investigation” involving Paul and Mortensen.
Paul’s representative issued a statement addressing the situation, saying, “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.”
The representative also claimed the video lacked context, stating Mortensen had released “an old video” in “an 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,” the representative added.
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