Taylor Frankie Paul Bachelorette season pulled by ABC amid domestic assault investigation and leaked footage

A high-profile reality TV rollout has been halted just days before launch, with ABC in the US pulling the upcoming season of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul as renewed scrutiny shifts attention from the screen to her off-screen conduct.

The season, scheduled to premiere on Sunday, was shelved after newly surfaced footage intensified concerns surrounding an ongoing domestic assault investigation involving the reality personality and her former partner, Dakota Mortensen.

“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,” a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson said in a statement.

The decision marks a sharp reversal for the network, which had proceeded with casting Paul despite her 2023 arrest over a separate domestic violence incident involving Mr Mortensen, a case that had already been publicly documented and explored in the first season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

Footage of the earlier incident, published this week, shows an altercation between the pair, including objects inluding multiple chairs, being thrown during the confrontation. The clip has renewed attention on the circumstances surrounding the case, particularly given a child was present nearby.

Warning: Video contains distressing content

The fallout has extended beyond a single show. Production on the fifth season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has been paused, with cast members distancing themselves from Ms Paul amid the controversy.

“None of the women want to be associated with her,” a source told People.

Cast member Mikayla Matthews confirmed the pause was a collective decision.

“It was a decision that all us girls came up with and agreed on,” Ms Matthews wrote.

“We didn’t feel comfortable filming with everything that has happened.”

Ms Paul has acknowledged the strain of the renewed attention, describing the situation as difficult as headlines continue to circulate.

“I think it’s been really difficult and heavy given, you know, all the headlines and what’s going on,” she said.

“But I would say I am handling it like any normal human would, like struggling, but trying to show up at the same time.”

The controversy arrives at a moment that had been positioned as a career expansion, with Ms Paul stepping into a major franchise role despite prior backlash tied to her arrest.

When asked previously about how audiences might view her past, she had urged viewers to look beyond headlines.

“I feel like it’s very fair to see some things and be like, ‘Oh, not a fan,’ if you’re looking at just very few things.

“What I will say is maybe tune in to make sure you’re really getting a read on who and how I am. Because if you’(ve) not really seen anything (I’m in), then you maybe only know my news headlines, which maybe aren’t the prettiest ones,” she addd.

“I feel like if you were to ever watch me, hear my story, I think I come off a little bit differently than people would just assume. I think maybe just give me a shot and see.”

Instead, the decision to pull the series suggests the broader reality TV ecosystem is increasingly shaped not just by ratings potential, but by the reputational risk that can follow when past controversies resurface in real time.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, phone 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Crisis Care Helpline on 1800 199 008.