Taylor Frankie Paul's The Bachelorette season has been canceled three days ahead of its premiere after a video leaked of the influencer physically assaulting her now ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen.
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Just a few hours after TMZ posted a disturbing video of Taylor hitting, kicking and throwing metal barstools at Dakota -- one of which appeared to strike her young daughter, Indy, causing her to cry -- Disney's ABC announced they're pulling the plug on The Bachelorette's 22nd season.
"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," a Disney spokesperson said in a media statement, "and our focus is on supporting the family."
The video TMZ released on Thursday, March 19 was from the night of Taylor's 2023 arrest.
Following a fight at home, Taylor was taken into custody and booked on charges of aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury, and criminal mischief.
The MomTok creator -- who welcomed son, Ever True, now 2, with Dakota and also shares Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5, with ex-husband Tate Paul -- pleaded guilty in August 2023 to aggravated assault in exchange for the dismissal of her other four charges.
Taylor ultimately reached a plea deal that, when its terms and conditions are followed, will reduce her aggravated assault charge to a misdemeanor in August 2026, according to Us Weekly.
But the outcome of Taylor's plea deal may be in jeopardy now.
News broke on Monday, March 16 that she and Dakota recently got into another domestic assault dispute in February that led to Hulu pausing production on Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
A source told People earlier this week that there is "some pretty serious stuff happening" and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives won't resume filming "until that resolves."
Taylor's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives co-stars have also reportedly distanced themselves from Taylor and no longer want to be associated with her.
Taylor said Wednesday, March 18 on Good Morning America that these headlines about her personal life are "heavy" and feel like "the end of the world," especially since her The Bachelorette season was slated to premiere on Sunday, March 22 at 8PM ET/PT.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWTaylor also confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that she and Dakota have "no contact right now" and are using a "third party" to handle "pick-up, drop-offs, [and] communication" amid the domestic violence investigation.
The Draper City Police Department had shared with People that "allegations" had been made "in both directions" and "contact was made" with the two parties on February 24 and 25.
According to Taylor, she and Dakota broke up in late 2024, although she didn't publicly confirm their split until early 2025.
After ABC announced Taylor as The Bachelorette star in September 2025, Taylor told Alex Cooper on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast that she hooked up with Dakota after their split and they had a toxic on-again, off-again dynamic.
Taylor claimed she wanted to get over Dakota and move on from her messy past -- which included a soft-swinging scandal with Tate that led to their May 2022 divorce -- by starring on The Bachelorette, but fans were quick to question her intentions.
Taylor then faced major backlash once viewers watched the Season 4 finale of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which showed Dakota sleeping at Taylor's house the night before she left to film The Bachelorette.
Dakota allegedly told a friend in the MomTok social circle that he and Taylor had sex, and he later asked Taylor via FaceTime to save him a rose.
Taylor expressed to Dakota how she still loved him but The Bachelorette would serve as a much-needed break for them both.
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To read spoilers on Taylor's current relationship status and how her The Bachelorette season ended when filming wrapped late last year, click here.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
