Taylor Frankie Paul’s carefully orchestrated promotional campaign for her upcoming season of The Bachelorette has come apart rapidly this week, as a leaked video depicting a 2023 domestic incident and an ongoing police investigation into a more recent altercation have prompted NBC to cancel her scheduled late-night television appearance and ABC to pull her season of the long-running reality dating series from its Sunday premiere slot according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon had been set to feature Paul on Wednesday evening as part of a press push ahead of what would have been her debut as the lead of The Bachelorette on ABC. NBC, however, canceled the booking and sources indicate that a rescheduled appearance is unlikely. The cancellation followed the emergence of footage originally recorded in 2023 showing Paul throwing metal barstools at her ex-partner, Dakota Mortensen, during a heated confrontation. Mortensen and Paul share a young son together, and Paul’s then-5-year-old daughter from a separate relationship was present during the incident and can be heard crying in the footage as the furniture was hurled.
Paul had previously pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in connection with the 2023 episode, and events from that period were documented on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, the reality series that first brought her widespread attention. The release of the video Thursday added fresh fuel to an already volatile situation. A representative for Paul pushed back forcefully on the timing of the footage’s release, calling it a cynical maneuver designed to inflict harm and accusing Mortensen of deliberately publishing the material on the couple’s son’s birthday in an effort to deflect attention from his own conduct. Mortensen, for his part, denied any wrongdoing and said he was focused entirely on his son’s welfare.
The newly leaked footage compounds an already difficult few weeks for Paul. Earlier this month, production on the forthcoming fifth season of Mormon Wives was suspended after another alleged domestic incident between Paul and Mortensen in late February. The Draper City Police Department confirmed to media outlets that a domestic assault investigation involving both parties remains open, with authorities noting that accusations had been leveled in both directions.
Despite the mounting controversy, Paul showed up to a press event in New York City earlier this week, acknowledging that the circumstances had been emotionally taxing but expressing a determination to continue fulfilling her professional obligations. The day after the press event, she appeared on Good Morning America and similarly described the period as a heavy one personally.
Both of Paul’s flagship projects now find themselves in uncertain territory. ABC’s decision to pull The Bachelorette season 22 from its scheduled premiere represents a significant setback for the network, which had positioned Paul as a compelling and unconventional lead — a single mother with a high-profile presence built through Mormon Wives and a large social media following. Paul, who acknowledged the network’s decision publicly and expressed gratitude for ABC’s handling of the situation, now faces an unclear path forward on both fronts.
Hulu has not made any formal statement about the status of Mormon Wives season five, but sources with knowledge of the production say filming remains on pause. Both shows operate under the Disney umbrella, giving the parent company a stake in how the situation ultimately resolves.
What began as a high-visibility week meant to introduce Paul to a broader national audience as a mainstream television personality has instead become a case study in how quickly real-life circumstances can overtake a carefully managed public image — and how swiftly networks are willing to act when controversy threatens to overshadow their programming investments.
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