Taylor Frankie Paul revealed that she has no “desire to move forward” with reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Monday.
In a post on Instagram, Paul wrote that her “gratitude goes out to all the networks that supported me throughout this and gave me the chance to return,” following her legal battles with her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen and her ex-husband Tate Paul.
“However I don’t desire to move forward like this. I originally was willing to be removed to let them all continue on with less stress and I’m back to that point,” Paul said of her Secret Lives of Mormon Wives castmates.
“Some of the girls know what I’ve been through and then to turn and collectively pile on with their ‘statements’ knowing there has been ongoing abuse through the system the last 8 months on top of what I’ve endured. Almost the entire cast plus some, going at me….laughing about my kids is disgusting,” Paul continued.
“And I bit my tongue there. These same people had meetings telling me I need to lead the way of pay….my voice was the only one that can make it happen and then they would work from what I demanded.”
The 32-year-old reality star said she’s “grateful I never followed through with their requests of demands and I’m grateful I kept same pay out of fairness and integrity.”
“I treated production and crew with respect always, in fact they are ones who checked on me throughout this. I agree it’s to the point of bullying for months now. What makes it harder to take in is some of these parents have made mistakes that would result in the same judgement I’m receiving yet pointing a finger,” she continued.
“However it’s a pleasure to remove myself so they can continue, because I’ve almost convinced myself I’m deserving of all this pain and to a certain degree absolutely this is consequences of my actions. My question has been how much suffering and scrutiny is going to be enough…I’m just relieved to be out,” Paul’s post concluded.
In recent weeks since the fifth season of the reality series was released, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Mikayla Matthews also revealed that she’s stepping away from the series.
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“I will not be continuing the show at this moment,” she wrote in an Instagram caption. “I’ve said from the beginning of this that I’m not comfortable being a part of something that continues to platform behavior I don’t agree especially given my own experience growing up in a home with multiple forms of abuse.”
“There’s no amount of money worth going against my morals or changing the stance I’ve had since I first saw and heard the things that made me feel this strongly. And for me personally, continuing to directly profit from this behavior feels wrong and unethical. It feels like a disservice to the children, everyone’s healing and the millions of people watching,” Matthews added.
“This show has been a huge part of my life and has helped me provide for my family,” Matthews continued. “I’m so grateful for the experience, and will continue sharing my story, my health and advocating for myself and others.”
“This shouldn’t be ‘relatable’ or entertainment in anyway. Supporting an ADULT doesn’t mean constantly making excuses for toxic behavior while giving unconditional sympathy and grace with zero accountability or change. I was in that enabling cycle for years, and I’m not going to be a part of that again! Love you all,” her post concluded.
Whitney Leavitt also announced her departure from the reality show ahead of the release of season five.
“Five years of my life wrapped into an experience I’ll never be able to fully put into words,” she wrote in her Instagram caption. “To the women I shared this chapter with, regardless of where our relationships stand today, there will always be something that connects us when our paths cross. We shared an experience that is uniquely ours, and nothing can take that away.”
“More than anything, I’m leaving this chapter with gratitude. For every version of us, every lesson, every memory, and every person who made these five years what they were,” she added.
“I’m really grateful I got to live it with you. My ‘forever momtok,’ I love you,” her post concluded.
Paul’s announcement comes as she continues her ongoing legal battle for custody of her children.
In July, Paul spoke out following reports of a petition filed by Utah’s Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) asking a court to find that her three children are “abused, neglected or dependent.”
In the petition, obtained by People and TMZ, DCFS asked a court to order protective supervision and appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the children.
Global News has not independently viewed the petition.
Paul took to social media to address the allegations, saying there’s “a lot of false information out there and therefore it doesn’t affect me.”
“It’s not true. That being said there are some things that are true as well. I’d like to give my piece of mind on it all,” Paul said.
Toward the end of the video, Paul told her followers that she will “give you the ugly and the pretty.”
“I don’t claim to be this mother of the year. I have my faults. I also have a right to stick up for myself, give context of my life,” she said.
“I’m just at a loss of words on this experience. It’s been the most difficult thing I’ve ever, ever been through,” she added. “Some people think the best thing is getting offline. My decision is to show this process and how ugly it is and make mistakes. I will own that.”
In a statement to People following the reports of the petition, Paul’s lawyers said the reality star “looks forward to continuing her progress toward normalizing custody and becoming the healthiest version of herself.”
Paul has been making headlines over the last few months after production on Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was halted following the investigation into the domestic violence allegations involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend Mortensen.
ABC also decided to pull Season 22 of The Bachelorette starring Paul after a video surfaced, released by TMZ, allegedly showing a 2023 domestic violence incident involving Paul and Mortensen.
Following the investigation, Paul and Mortensen were ordered to stay 30 metres (100 feet) away from each other for the next three years by a Utah court commissioner after they both filed protective orders against each other.
Both Paul and her ex-boyfriend, whose on-and-off relationship has been a major storyline on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, asked a Utah court to turn short-term protective orders into long-term arrangements, as the two have accused each other of domestic violence.
Third District Court Commissioner Russell Minas described the former couple’s dynamic as “very toxic” before granting Paul and Mortensen’s duelling requests for protective orders against each other.
Violations of the protective orders could result in criminal charges, the hearing revealed.
