Will ABC Cancel ‘Bachelorette’ Season Amid Taylor Frankie Paul Domestic Violence?

ABC went outside the Bachelor Nation franchise for the next Bachelorette lead. They chose Taylor Frankie Paul, but she’s no stranger to drama. She stars on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. However, shocking allegations that she became violent with an ex have put the future of The Bachelorette in doubt. Fans demand that ABC cancel Season 22. Will they nix the show just days before the premiere? Keep reading to find out the network’s response. 

Taylor Frankie Paul Accused Of Domestic Violence Against Ex

Taylor Frankie Paul’s claim to fame is a swinging scandal with her ex-husband, Tate Paul. She blew their marriage up by admitting on TikTok to cheating on him outside the arrangement. Her popularity on the social media app sparked Hulu to create a reality TV show based on her group of friends, AKA “MomTok.” 

Viewers watched Taylor Frankie Paul’s toxic relationship with Dakota Mortensen for several seasons. They officially called it quits in early 2025 and the next thing viewers knew, she was named the next Bachelorette. Taylor Frankie Paul is the mom to three kids. She shares two children with her ex-husband and a young son with Dakota Mortensen. 

‘Bachelorette’ Taylor Frankie Paul/Credit: YouTube

A bombshell report released earlier this week revealed that Taylor Frankie Paul is under investigation for two separate domestic violence incidents involving Dakota Mortensen. The incidents happened in February after she returned home from filming the ABC dating show. 

Taylor Frankie Paul was arrested for domestic violence in 2023. She pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and got probation. If the new allegations lead to charges, she could potentially go to jail for violating her probation. 

Fans Demand ABC Cancel The Bachelorette

The allegations against Taylor Frankie Paul came out at the same time she was scheduled for multiple talk shows to promote the new Bachelorette season. She kept her commitment to the promotional tour. She spoke out about the allegations but didn’t outright deny them. Paul simply noted how heavy it all is and how the timing was very bad. 

Some fans were already upset that ABC chose a lead with a history of domestic violence. Amid the new allegations, Bachelor Nation fans demand that the network cancel the entire season. Fans took to Reddit to share their thoughts on the situation. 

• “They shouldn’t air it, but they will. No way they don’t.”
• “The trailer said it would be the “most explosive season so far” so maybe this is what they meant”
• “They need to just toss it all in the trash.”
• “If it was a man, it would’ve 100% been cancelled already.”
• “The network is VERY unlikely to spend all the money on marketing, casting, production, etc just to cancel the show due to these allegations – as serious as they may be.”
• “They know this will bring in more viewers.”

Star magazine reported that ABC was “in talks” to cancel the season. However, it seems like the network has decided to move forward with the season. As of this writing, it’s still scheduled to air on Sunday, March 22. Tell us in the comments if you think the network should cancel The Bachelorette.