Bachelorette Season Scrapped After Assault Video, Ex Gets Temporary Custody
ABC shelved The Bachelorette after a resurfaced 2023 assault video of Taylor Frankie Paul; Dakota Mortensen obtained a temporary protective order and custody and a hearing is set for April 7.
Overview
A Utah court granted Dakota Mortensen a temporary protective order and temporary custody of his child, barring Taylor Frankie Paul from contacting him and ordering her to stay at least 100 feet away.
ABC and Warner Bros. halted Season 22 of The Bachelorette after a 2023 video showing Paul in an altercation with Mortensen resurfaced, and Disney Entertainment Television said it would not move forward 'at this time'.
Mortensen alleged Paul choked him on February 23 and attacked him again on February 24, and Draper City police said a later investigation is underway, according to court documents.
At least five men who competed on the season are reportedly considering lawsuits against ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery, and Cinnabon ended its collaborations with The Bachelorette and Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
Paul is scheduled to plead her case at a hearing on April 7, filming of Season 5 of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was paused on Monday, March 16, and the Bachelorette's future is uncertain.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a corporate failure of judgment, using evaluative language ("pulled the plug", "blunder", "embarrassing") and privileging industry insiders and legal experts to emphasize financial and reputational risk. Editorial choices highlight poor vetting and corporate synergy motives, while direct victim perspectives are limited and presented mainly through quoted allegations.
FAQ
The video shows Taylor Frankie Paul in an altercation with Dakota Mortensen, where she allegedly choked him on February 23 and attacked again on February 24; she pled guilty to felony aggravated assault after the child was struck but ignored.
Dakota Mortensen was granted a temporary protective order barring Paul from contacting him and requiring her to stay 100 feet away, plus temporary custody of their child.
ABC and Warner Bros. halted Season 22 after the 2023 assault video resurfaced, with Disney Entertainment Television stating they would not move forward at this time.
Taylor Frankie Paul is scheduled to plead her case at a hearing on April 7.
Taylor Frankie Paul described feeling crazy, lost, and angry due to hormones from an ectopic and chemical pregnancy, combined with alcohol after a girls' night, leading her to throw things.
