Before its scheduled release, the newest season of “The Bachelorette” had already become a widespread, controversial subject. Starring famous Mormon content creator Taylor Frankie Paul, season 22 was meant to air on March 22, 2026, on ABC. However, as of March 19, the season was abruptly cancelled after TMZ released footage of Paul attacking her ex, Dakota Mortensen. The video was of a domestic violence incident from back in 2023, and at the time, Paul had pleaded guilty in court and went to jail. In the video, she was seen hurling metal stools at Mortensen, with one of them hitting her young daughter in the process. The video was made public last week to be presented in court as evidence for a similar domestic violence case involving Paul from February 2026.
Taylor Frankie Paul rose to fame as a TikTok influencer from Utah and as the lead in the reality show, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” The nine stars of the show are known as MomTok: a group of young Mormon women who create social media content and challenge traditional religious gender roles. Season 4 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” was released on Hulu/Disney+ on March 12, 2026, and was met with much anticipation. Paul has amassed 6 million TikTok followers and 2 million on Instagram throughout the years as an influencer.
After the TMZ video went viral online, ABC quickly released a statement, sharing, “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.” Dakota Mortensen has also now received temporary custody over his and Paul’s son, Ever, due to the new domestic violence incident occurring in February 2026.
While many viewers are relieved that ABC cancelled the show, others are demanding that it still be released. Since the entire season had been filmed in advance, ABC could potentially lose millions of dollars for not airing any of it. Posts on TikTok have also called out ABC for knowing Paul’s criminal record and still selecting her for the show. In the comment section of a TikTok posted by CBS Evening News, one user (@11kc23) commented, “Why on earth would they make her the Bachelorette?” and another user (@tina.the.llama2000) shared, “This literally happened before they chose her to be the Bachelorette…maybe do research before casting just anyone?”
Lastly, “The Bachelorette” is not the only show facing cancellations. “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” has already shut down filming for season 5 due to the cast feeling uncomfortable working with Paul. Other members of MomTok have hinted at the show’s complete end. Mikayla Matthews and family recently moved out of Utah and are now in California, along with Whitney Leavitt, who moved with her husband and kids to New York City. With multiple members moving on to new chapters of their lives, and Taylor Frankie Paul exiting the public eye, it is unclear how Hulu plans to continue.
