Will Taylor Frankie Paul's“ Bachelorette” season still air? What to know about the reality star's latest controversy

Allison DeGrusheTue, March 17, 2026 at 8:19 PM UTC

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Taylor Frankie Paul on 'The Bachelorette'Credit: Disney/Sami DrasinKey Points -

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul is leading The Bachelorette season 22.

On March 16, authorities confirmed an active "domestic assault investigation" involving Taylor and her ex, Dakota Mortensen.

The investigation reportedly won't impact the show's premiere on Sunday, March 22.

Taylor Frankie Paul shot to fame in 2022 as a founding member of #MomTok, a group of young Mormon wives and mothers sharing their lives on social media. Her rise accelerated after a "soft swinging" scandal made headlines the same year, and the attention only intensified when the friends reunited for Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which quickly became a cultural sensation.

Now, Taylor is stepping into new territory as the lead of the upcoming season of The Bachelorette. She's never been part of the Bachelor franchise, but she spoke with host Jesse Palmer about her hopes for love and a fresh start.

"On The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, there's a side to me that isn't shown. You see a lot of my chaos. My mess. My loud moments," she explained. "Everyone deserves a second chance. If anyone knows that feeling, it's me."

But this second chance is already mired with drama. Here's everything you about the latest controversy surrounding Taylor, and whether The Bachelorette season 22 will actually air.

What happened between Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen?

Taylor Frankie Paul on 'The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose'Credit: Disney/John Fleenor

On Monday, March 16, sources confirmed to PEOPLE that filming for Mormon Wives season 5 has been put on hold because Taylor "has some pretty serious stuff happening regarding her past, and they will see what happens. Until that resolves, they are off." TMZ was the first to report the news.

A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE there is an active "domestic assault investigation" involving Taylor and her ex, Dakota Mortensen. They revealed that "allegations have been made in both directions" and "contact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24th and 25th." They declined to share further details, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

A source close to the matter told Entertainment Weekly that cameras were not rolling during the incident and that Taylor's children were not present. EW has reached out to representatives for Taylor, Mortensen, and Hulu for comment. A representative for ABC did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.

This isn't the first time trouble has followed Taylor and her ex-boyfriend. Back in Mormon Wives season 1, before their son Ever was born, Taylor was arrested in 2023 in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident with Mortensen.

She faced several charges, including aggravated assault and domestic violence in the presence of a child. She was also charged with child abuse after being accused of throwing a chair at Mortensen that instead hit her daughter from her previous marriage with Tate Paul. She pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, while the other charges were dropped.

How is MomTok handling the situation?

As news of the investigation came to light, rumors began circulating that Taylor's Mormon Wives costars were trying to distance themselves from her.

"None of the women want to be associated with her," one insider told PEOPLE, adding that they are "very overwhelmed" and "getting tired of Taylor."

They also claimed that while "everything was going smoothly" before this, some resentment toward Taylor has been brewing. "They kind of all decided, as a unit, that they're taking the production pause, that they don't want to film right now," the source added. "I don't think they care about her really right now. They're just kind of like, 'We're done for right now.'"

Still, some fans have chalked it up to jealousy. Influencer Zack Peter addressed the rumors in a recent Instagram post, speculating about unverified reports that the cast was jealous of Taylor's role as the new Bachelorette lead. Mormon Wives star Jessi Ngatikaura shut down the chatter, commenting, "It was never a jealousy thing lol."

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What was going on before The Bachelorette filming began?

Taylor Frankie Paul holding a book titled 'The Book of More Men' on 'The Bachelorette'Credit: Disney/Sami Drasin

The controversy isnt just tied to the domestic assault investigation: it also stretches back to the days before Taylor left to film The Bachelorette. In the season 4 finale of Mormon Wives, Mortensen claimed he and Taylor slept together the night before her departure.

The situation didn't sit well with Taylor's costars. In a confessional, Layla Taylor admitted she was "disappointed in Taylor."

"I don't think this was a smart move to do right before The Bachelorette," she said. "To be frank, if I was one of these guys and I found out that she effed her baby daddy the day before meeting me, I would be extremely upset and pissed."

Mayci Neeley echoed that frustation, saying, "Taylor not showing up at the airport is not only a bad sign for her and her journey on The Bachelorette, but also for MomTok. Like, she's going to choose Dakota, who's been kind of ruining her life the last three years, over something that is a fresh start. All of us in MomTok, we've all tried so hard to help her and we've all been there for her, but I think it backfired on us."

Meanwhile, Taylor's mom, Liann, said the ordeal made her feel "very sick" given what was at stake.

And the shock isn't limited to family and friends. On March 17, PEOPLE reported that a source close to the Bachelorette cast said several of the men who were on Taylor's season are "losing their minds" over the news.

"They're extremely disappointed," the source added. "They felt betrayed when they found this out because they all went into this to genuinely get to know Taylor." However, another insider claimed Taylor is "on great terms with the men from The Bachelorette."

Will The Bachelorette season 22 still air?

Taylor Frankie Paul poses with previous 'Bachelorette' leads on 'The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose'Credit: Disney/John Fleenor

With the domestic assault investigation ongoing and Taylor's controversial actions before filming, the big question on everyone's mind is whether The Bachelorette season 22 will actually make it to air. As of writing, it's still set to premiere on Sunday, March 22.

Variety reported that the "investigation will not impact the release schedule or press plans for The Bachelorette." TMZ claimed that Bachelorette producers were caught completely off guard, prompting ABC to hire "a public relations crisis manager to handle the fallout."

Even so, brands connected to the show are starting to pull back. On March 17, Cinnabon announced it's ending its partnerships with both The Bachelorette and Mormon Wives. "Recent developments and allegations surrounding the lead cast member led us to reassess this collaboration as it no longer aligns with our brand values," the company told PEOPLE in a statement.

The brand had been planning some Bachelorette-themed promotions, including limited-edition CinnaPacks packaging. Cinnabon also planned to release a Swirled Soda inspired by a viral drink from Mormon Wives, complete with themed cup sleeves.

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