ABC News announced their decision to cancel their 22nd season of The Bachelorette, starring Taylor Frankie Paul, following a shocking leaked video.
Paul’s season was abruptly cancelled after TMZ released a video on March 19, 2026, of her attacking former boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. The harsh video contains many instances of Mortensen attempting to tell Paul to stop while she has him in a head lock and he is struggling to breathe, and he is constantly warning her that her daughter is sitting on the couch. She throws numerous metal chairs at him; one of which ends up hitting her daughter. The daughter is shown crying; she suffered from minor injuries as a result.
Taylor Frankie Paul is a 31-year-old divorced mother of three who first gained popularity as a cast member on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives in 2022. ABC debuted their spin-off show from The Bachelor, calling in The Bachelorette on Jan. 8, 2003. The show is one of ABC’s top three programs with millions of viewers hooked to the drama and romance. The common salary for the lead of the show ranges roughly from $100,000 to $250,000 for one season.
ABC took a chance on her because Paul was surrounded by constant controversy regarding her public relationship and legal issues. The Bachelorette is a show that is characterized by romance and drama, and days before the premiere, it was pulled from air because of the backlash ABC would’ve received.
Ava Cartermeo, 19 and a freshman at the University of New Hampshire from Longmeadow, Mass., is upset about the new season being cancelled but is aware that it was probably the best decision for ABC.
“I was disappointed because The Bachelorette has been one of my favorite shows for a while, but I understand why it was cancelled” she said. “Her domestic past frightens me because of her children I understand that she went through a lot of emotional mental abuse and that can cause people to act out of character, but when there are children involved I think it is you’re due to keep yourself in check to a certain extent.”
Season five of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives was paused as a result of domestic abuse allegations against Mortensen.
A second investigation was carried out following the release of the video and then The Bachelorette season was cancelled.
Callie Manfredi, a junior from Westfield, Mass., is a huge fan of the show and her excitement quickly became disappointment when she heard the news.
“I have enjoyed watching most of the seasons” Manfredi said. “I was really looking forward to their 22nd season with Taylor Frankie Paul but then I saw the released video and can see why ABC cancelled it.”
Liza Hampson from Amherst Mass., looks for the positive in the unfortunate outcome of the cancelled season.
“Although I am sad, I won’t be able to watch the new season, it forced me to look at it in a different light and appreciate the show even more when it comes back,” Hampson, a ’25 Williston alum, said. “I also feel like The Bachelorette will gain more popularity after everything surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul.”
