Taylor Frankie Paul has gone from the next Bachelorette to reality TV’s biggest question mark in record time, and both The Bachelorette and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives are now in limbo while police, networks and MomTok all figure out what to do next.
So what happens now for Taylor, The Bachelorette and Mormon Wives? Let’s break it down.
How Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette season blew up
ABC pulled the plug on Taylor’s already‑filmed season of The Bachelorette just days before its planned March 22 premiere after TMZ released footage from a 2023 incident with her then‑partner Dakota Mortensen. The footage showed her throwing metal chairs at Dakota while her daughter could be heard crying, with Dakota saying, “This is called physical abuse”, and “Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair”.
In that 2023 case, Taylor was arrested and later pled guilty in abeyance to one count of aggravated assault, meaning the charge can be dismissed if she completes probation and the other counts were dropped. The four other charges later dismissed included two felony counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, and one misdemeanor count each of child abuse and criminal mischief according to court records.
Announcing the cancellation, a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson said, “In 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.”
Behind the scenes, sources have said ABC executives were in frantic “crisis talks”, with some reportedly warning the network stood to lose between $40 and $50 million by binning the season and claiming Taylor had breached her contract.
According to TMZ, the fallout has also hit The Bachelor as the plan was apparently to use one of Taylor’s finalists as the next lead, but because none of them will get the usual fame boost from a full season airing, the franchise now has to either delay or recycle a former contestant.
The new investigation into Dakota Mortensen and Taylor Frankie Paul
Separate to the 2023 case, there is now an active domestic assault investigation involving Taylor and Dakota, linked to incidents in February this year. A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department in Utah confirmed to PEOPLE that “there is an open ‘domestic assault investigation’” and that “allegations have been made in both directions”, adding that officers made contact with the parties on February 24 and 25, but would not release further details while the case is ongoing. Taylor has since sought court protection and was granted temporary custody of their son Ever until a hearing in April, and his team has said his “number one priority here is protecting [their 2‑year‑old son], Ever”.
Taylor’s camp paints a very different picture: in a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson said that “after years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm”.
The rep added that “there are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives”.
Meanwhile, Dakota told PEOPLE, “I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny… I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”
Mormon Wives on pause: will MomTok survive Taylor Frankie Paul?
Over on Hulu, the fifth season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been paused with production “off” until things resolve.
NBC News reports that the cast held a 30‑minute Zoom with ABC executives on March 7 after a reported incident between Taylor and Dakota led to an open “domestic assault investigation”, with boss Rob Mills telling them, “I want this to continue, and I want everyone to continue really being successful, both with this show and beyond it… but I think really, just navigating through this thing and taking care of each other is the most important thing right now.”
A source said the purpose of the call was to reassure the women that the network cared about their safety and that they should not feel pressured to film or do press while an outside law firm investigates competing allegations.
Taylor herself has acknowledged that Mormon Wives is on hold, telling outlets at a press event for her since‑cancelled Bachelorette season that she had “gotten word” filming had been paused and that “it’s hard to see past this, in this moment, it’s really heavy”.
And while fans speculate that other MomTok favourites like Layla Taylor or Miranda McWhorter could eventually be slotted in as a new Bachelorette lead, any fresh season would still need to be cast, shot and edited, so that would be a long way off even if the network goes that route.
Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives castmates draw lines and speak out
Some of Taylor’s Mormon Wives castmates have started publicly distancing themselves while being careful to centre her children. Over the weekend, Layla wrote on her Instagram Stories, “My personal history as a survivor makes it impossible for me to stay silent. I stand firmly against domestic violence in any form,” adding that she is “keeping her children in my thoughts, hoping for their safety above all else”.
Within minutes, Miranda posted her own Story saying, “Everything has been really heavy to see. Domestic violence and abuse of any kind is something I take very seriously… As a human, and especially a mother, I cannot support that kind of behaviour. My heart is with the children in this and I hope they’re safe, supported, and surrounded by love.”
Mikayla Matthews confirmed the pause of filming on her Instagram Stories, revealing that it was the cast’s decision.
“It was a decision that all us girls came up with and agreed on,” the reality star confirmed. “We didn’t feel comfortable filming with everything that was happening.”
PEOPLE has also quoted a source close to the cast saying that “none of the women want to be associated with her” as the situation unfolds.
Taylor, meanwhile, has stayed online despite everything: when a TikTok user posted a “Taylor Frankie Paul Get Off Your Phone Challenge” video asking why she was still commenting and reposting when “her world literally just blew up”, she replied in the comments, “Want me to stare at the wall instead”?
The casual comment definitely underlined something that’s quietly been lurking under all of this: ABC knew she had a domestic violence history when they cast her, MomTok knew she came with serious baggage, and the question now is whose worlds get to keep spinning now that the footage finally surfaces.
Where things stand now
Right now, The Bachelorette season starring Taylor is shelved “at this time”, Mormon Wives season five is “paused”, and police are still investigating the latest domestic assault allegations. Taylor’s spokesperson says she is “very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritises her family’s safety and security” and that she is “exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story”, while people close to her have told PEOPLE they are “worried for Taylor’s well-being” and want her to “get the help she needs”.
Whether MomTok and the Bachelor machine can bounce back from this, or whether this is the scandal that finally forces a harder line on who gets handed a primetime redemption arc, is something still to be seen.
