12 hours ago
2
Fans of The Bachelorette are calling on ABC to scrap Taylor Frankie Paul‘s upcoming season in light of domestic violence allegations.
TMZ was the first to report that production of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 5 was put on pause following an explosive argument between Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, late last month. A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department told People on Monday (March 16) that there is an open “domestic assault investigation” involving the two parties, both of whom have made allegations against the other.
Production sources for Mormon Wives told TMZ that Paul and Mortensen got into an argument over his hookups with Shinia Powell, who appeared in The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4. Paul allegedly choked Mortensen, ripped his necklace off, and grabbed his throat and his face while their 2-year-old son, Ever, was in the room. Mortensen reportedly called the police, but Paul convinced him to change his story by the time they arrived.
When she returned to his house the next night, she allegedly scratched his neck and threw his phone at the wall. A friend of Mortensen’s reportedly called the police the next day, and responding officers saw the injury on his neck. Other sources, however, have claimed that Mortensen was the aggressor in a recent car ride with Paul. Regardless of what happened, Paul’s Secret Lives of Mormon Wives co-stars are reportedly refusing to film with her because of the ordeal.
This wouldn’t be Paul’s first run-in with domestic violence allegations. As seen in the pilot episode of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, she was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after an argument with Mortensen turned violent back in 2023.
The latest news comes just as Paul is gearing up for her season of The Bachelorette, which is slated to start airing on Sunday, March 22. ABC has not directly addressed the domestic violence allegations surrounding their new leading lady, but fans in the comments section of a new trailer the @bacheloretteabc Instagram handle posted this morning are demanding that they cancel the season.
“Respectfully- I think you should say something publicly about what’s been out there in the news. These are serious allegations- and Taylor should be held at the same tone that anybody should be,” one fan wrote, while another added, “Simply just moving forward and not acknowledging what’s happening with Taylor says everything I need to know. Incredibly disappointed in @bacheloretteabc.”
A third person said, “Take the L @bacheloretteabc, you cannot air this season and you know it,” and someone else wondered, “Not sure how this hasn’t been cancelled.”
Another social media user fumed, “If they decide to go through with broadcasting her season after recent allegations of DV (not the first time btw), this franchise is OVER. This was their last-ditch effort to save this show and it will be done if they choose to put her on. If she were a man with DV allegations, people would be furious and this would have already been cancelled. Do better!!!”
DECIDER has reached out to ABC for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
As of now, The Bachelorette Season 22 is still set to premiere on Sunday, March 22 on ABC.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.
English (US)