‘The Bachelorette’ Season Canceled After Leaked Video of Assault

ABC has pulled the planned Sunday premiere of The Bachelorette after a video surfaced appearing to show its lead, Taylor Frankie Paul, involved in a violent incident with her former partner while a child was present.

The decision came hours after TMZ leaked the footage. In a statement, a spokesperson for Disney Entertainment Television said the network would not move forward with the new season “at this time,” adding that its focus is on supporting the family. It remains unclear whether the season will air at a later date.

The move halts what had been a high-stakes effort by ABC to revive one of its flagship franchises. Taylor Frankie Paul, a social media influencer with more than 6 million TikTok followers, gained prominence on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and was expected to bring new attention to the long-running dating show.

Sunday Premiere Pulled

The controversy follows reports earlier in the week of a domestic dispute between Paul and her former partner, Dakota Mortensen, with whom she shares a child. Police in Draper City, Utah, confirmed a domestic assault investigation involving the two in late February. Filming of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was also paused amid the reports.

In 2023, Taylor Frankie Paul was arrested in Herriman, Utah, over domestic violence allegations related to Mortensen and later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.

Before the video’s release, Paul had been actively promoting The Bachelorette, including appearances at the Oscars and on Good Morning America, where she described the situation as a “heavy time” and said she was focused on her children.

The Bachelorette is part of ABC’s long-running reality franchise that began with The Bachelor in 2002 and later expanded to spinoffs like Bachelor in Paradise. Once a dominant force in ratings, the franchise has seen declining viewership in recent years, making the now-scrapped season a key attempt at a revival.