Bachelorette fans may never find out whether or not Taylor Frankie Paul found a new man after Disney, the parent company of ABC, canceled season 22 of The Bachelorette. According to multiple outlets, the network referred to a leaked 2023 video of Paul in a physical altercation with her ex Dakota Mortensen.
“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 spokesperson from Disney told Page Six and TMZ in a statement on Thursday, March 19, just days away from the season’s premiere.
The cancelation came shortly after season 5 of Paul’s Hulu series, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, halted production amid a domestic violence investigation involving both Paul and Mortensen.
So, will we ever see season 22 of The Bachelorette?
Why Did ABC Cancel Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette Season?
As previously noted, a spokesperson for Disney referred to a video that had been published by TMZ on March 19, revealing a physical fight between Paul and Mortensen. In the clip, which was taken in 2023, Paul was seen hurling barstools at Mortensen while a child was present. Mortensen claimed in the video that something struck the child sitting nearby.
In 2023, Paul was arrested and booked for aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury and criminal mischief after an altercation with Mortensen. In August of that year, Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, and the other charges were dismissed with prejudice. She reached a plea deal.
Will Taylor Frankie Paul’s Season of The Bachelorette Ever Air?
It’s unclear if ABC will ever air Paul’s season of The Bachelorette. At this time, it appears it will not air in March 2026.
The cancellation was shocking because an insider close to the production told The U.S. Sun that cancelling the season was not possible due to the costs. The source told the outlet that the show was “still moving forward because it would cost [Disney] millions upon millions of dollars to shelve it.”
“Even if it will still cost them to air it, it will be a lot pricier to not air it at all,” the insider went on. “They don’t have a plan B, this is unprecedented to have the lead screw up this royally, so there’s no backup plan.”
However, the source added that Bachelorette executives were “furious with Taylor.”
“Not only for the bad look, but it’s also clear she doesn’t get her happily ever after since she’s still having issues with Dakota, so it’s a complete mess,” the insider said.
A Disney executive spoke at Deadline’s Reality TV Summit about the prospect of the season ever airing. Reality TV Chief Rob Mills simply said, “It’s still a day-to-day, so we’ll see.”
Will Season 5 of Mormon Wives Resume Filming?
At the time of publication, it’s unclear when or if production on season 5 of Mormon Wives will resume. Multiple outlets reported that filming was on hold in mid-March 2026. According to People, a source close to the Mormon Wives cast said, “None of the women want to be associated with her.”
However, a source told E! News that Paul’s relationship with her co-stars “is great right now” and insisted that production did not pause due to issues among the cast.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
