![\"Kayla](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/8c115ae7ce966009121f78346f9081b2fa2155d8db17a27ec86aa7bafbd296bf.png\")
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March 20, 2026 \u2014 9:26am<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n America\u2019s ABC network has axed the coming season of The Bachelorette, starring Taylor Frankie Paul, after video emerged showing her allegedly throwing a stool at her former partner in 2023.<\/p>\n The unprecedented cancellation of the already-filmed 22nd season of the long-running reality television show, early on Friday morning (AEST), came three days before it was to premiere on Monday (AEST).<\/p>\n The leaked video published by US website TMZ<\/a> on Thursday (US time) shows Paul allegedly striking her former partner, Dakota Mortensen, before throwing the breakfast bar stool at him in front of her daughter, who can be heard crying in the background. According to TMZ, police alleged the five-year-old girl was hit in the fracas and later had a \u201cgoose egg on her head\u201d. <\/a><\/p>\n A statement from Disney Entertainment Television, which owns the reality series, appeared to reference the 2023 video.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIn 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,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n Paul was arrested in 2023 and charged with aggravated assault and other offences, including domestic violence in the presence of a child, a saga chronicled in the reality series in which she also stars, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which also sits under the Disney umbrella.<\/p>\n The 31-year-old pleaded guilty the following August to a misdemeanour charge of aggravated assault, and the other charges were dismissed.<\/p>\n A police spokesperson in Draper City, Utah, told People magazine<\/a> that there was an open domestic violence investigation of Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Mortensen, and that allegations have been made in both directions. Mortensen is the father of one of Paul\u2019s three children.<\/p>\n In a statement to People on Thursday, a spokesperson for Paul said: \u201cIt\u2019s sad to see the latest instalment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child.<\/p>\n \u201cReleasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son\u2019s birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behaviour. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is, and sadly, many will recognise this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul was also slated to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday (AEST). However, that appearance was also cancelled, according to The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Paul was promoting The Bachelorette as recently as Thursday (AEST) on ABC\u2019s Good Morning America and on the red carpet before the Oscars telecast.<\/p>\n She became known as an influencer in the #MomTok community, a group of women from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sharing their lives on TikTok. In a statement confirming her Bachelorette casting in October, ABC credited Paul with \u201cigniting \u2018MomTok\u2019 and going viral for pulling back the curtain on Salt Lake\u2019s soft-swinging scene\u201d.<\/p>\n In 2022, Paul announced that she had \u201cstepped out\u201d of the terms of an open relationship<\/a> she and her husband were in and they were getting divorced.<\/p>\n The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premiered in 2024. Season 4 of the show was released last week, and filming of season 5 had already paused over the investigation.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt was a decision that all of us girls came up with,\u201d Paul\u2019s co-star Mikayla Matthews said on Wednesday on Instagram in response to a fan question about the production freeze. \u201cWe didn\u2019t feel comfortable filming with everything that was happening.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul posted on Instagram in December that filming had wrapped on The Bachelorette, which is hosted by Jesse Palmer.<\/p>\n With AP<\/p>\n Anyone needing support can contact National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT<\/a> (1800 737 732); Lifeline<\/a> 131 114; Beyond Blue<\/a> 1300 224 636.<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Taylor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/e814c64f27e3391bde14f0e73737bfe8e508a5be.jpeg\")
Taylor Frankie Paul at the Oscars in Los Angeles earlier this week.Jordan Strauss\/Invision\/AP<\/p>\n![\"Dakota](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2ac53cdbc01e99b407dafebae5f5d18688bfdee4.jpeg\")
Dakota Mortensen, former partner of Taylor Frankie Paul.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Paul](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ee5b28bafc5ab9002a2802e840ebc917cd9721cc.jpeg\")
Paul (centre, top) with the cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, season 4. <\/p>\n