By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-24 23:12:06 | Updated at 2026-06-25 00:17:51
1 hour ago
Taylor Frankie Paul is reportedly getting a second chance as the star of The Bachelorette despite having her season shelved in the wake of multiple domestic violence allegations.
ABC is now said to be preparing the scuttled season to air in July, production sources told TMZ on Wednesday.
The network allegedly hopes to get the show off the ground by mid-month, but sources cautioned that ABC hasn't made final plans on releasing The Bachelorette season.
Fans of the series were shocked when Paul's season was abruptly yanked from ABC's schedule the day before it was set to premiere in the wake of resurfaced video from 2023 that showed the Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives star attacking her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen.
During the shocking encounter, the 32-year-old reality star was seen throwing metal chairs at Mortensen, one of which accidentally hit her own child. Paul has also accused Mortensen of domestic violence.
The Daily Mail has reached out to ABC and Paul for comment, but hasn't yet received a response.
Taylor Frankie Paul is reportedly getting a second chance as the star of The Bachelorette. According to TMZ, ABC is preparing to release her shelved season in July, despite previously pulling it in the wake of multiple domestic violence allegations leveled against Paul by her ex
Resurfaced video from 2023 showed Paul attacking her ex, Dakota Mortensen, and throwing metal chairs at him, one of which accidentally hit her own child; she's pictured in court with Mortensen over dueling restraining order requests on April 30 in Salt Lake City, Utah
According to the production sources, even after ABC announced its decision not to air the premiere of the latest Bachelorette season, work didn't cease behind the scenes.
While the show was seemingly dead in the water, its editors were allegedly editing future episodes to get the series – which had already been shot – ready for a quick release if needed.
According to the publication, the fact that work continued behind the scenes suggests that ABC was always keeping the option open to release the show at a later date.
Another source claimed that ABC had been polling potential audiences on their feelings about Paul in an effort to see if public opinion had cooled enough to safely release the show.
Paul appears to have been trying to create a redemption narrative by making multiple Instagram posts in recent weeks that have focused on her attempts to grow and improve herself.
They seem to have worked, as production sources told TMZ that executives at ABC have been paying attention to Paul's public-facing displays of alleged growth.
The domestic violence allegations against Paul didn't just derail her season of The Bachelorette, but also put the filming of season five of her other reality show, The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives, on hold.
In the wake of the allegations, Paul's ex, Mortensen, was granted temporary custody of the child he shares with her after both sides accused one another of violence.
Even after ABC publicly pulled Paul's season, editors allegedly continued working on episodes in secret so that it could quickly go to air at a later date
Paul appears to have been trying to create a redemption narrative by making multiple posts in recent weeks focusing on her attempts to grow, and sources claimed that ABC executives had taken notice of her posts; pictured in May 2025 in LA
In the wake of the allegations, Paul's ex, Mortensen, was granted temporary custody of the child he shares with her. Late last month, Paul posted a heart-wrenching photo of herself holding hands with her son Ever on Instagram as she wrote, 'I miss you baby'
Late last month, Paul posted a heart-wrenching photo of herself holding hands with her son Ever on Instagram.
'I miss you baby,' she wrote.
Paul, who shares Ever with Mortensen, as well as Indy and Ocean with her ex-husband Tate Paul, said she had been 'coping' with her son's absence by throwing herself into crafty projects.
'I think all the projects building & redoing is a fresh start but mainly a coping mechanism to distract from the fact my baby hasn't been here for months now, aside visits,' she shared with followers.
In honor of May's Mental Health Awareness Month, Paul laid bare her own emotional strife, while reminding others who were also struggling that they are not alone.
'Still processing two shows were put on pause. Balled it up in both shows, made some boys cry and now I'm bawling. What is life? …Take it seriously, learn lessons but don't forget to be silly too,' she posted to Instagram.
'It's okay to smile again after making mistakes. Today is the last day of mental health awareness month and just know if you're out there struggling you're not alone.'
The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives, which launched on Hulu in September 2024 and starred Paul, follows a group of Utah-based influencers in their professional and personal lives.
Paul, who also has children Indy and Ocean with her ex-husband Tate Paul, kept fans updated on her life with a carousel of images
She has been candid with fans about the emotional struggles she has been enduring since the controversy
Filming for the hit reality series was put on hold amid a domestic violence scandal involving Paul and Mortensen, which led to uncertainty surrounding the fate of Season 5.
The Draper City Police Department confirmed to People at the time the existence of an open 'domestic assault investigation' into Paul and Mortensen.
'Allegations have been made in both directions,' a spokesman for the department told the publication, adding 'contact was made with involved parties on [February] 24 and 25.'
Days later, a video resurfaced from 2023 that showed the reality star throwing chairs at Mortensen.
The disturbing video prompted ABC to take the drastic step of pulling Paul's entire season of The Bachelorette before it had even aired.
Even as Paul's professional woes mounted, she recently scored a legal victory when the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office announced that it had declined to file charges against her over the alleged domestic violence episode from February.
Mortensen had accused Paul of choking him, before hitting him and shoving him into a window
She had previously pleaded guilty in 2024 to one count of aggravated assault over another fight with Mortensen from 2023 that was also filmed.
Paul has been coping with her son's absence by throwing herself into projects
The post showed her wearing a shirt that read, 'If you find me offensive I suggest you stop finding me'
Paul had previously accused Mortensen of being abusive toward her in 2023.
After it was revealed that she wouldn't face charges, Paul shared her jubilant reaction to the District Attorney's decision in an Instagram Stories post.
She posted a photo of a vase filled with colorful flowers that overlooked a white piece of paper with a butterfly drawn on it.
'Cried when I got the call,' the former Bachelorette star wrote over the photo. 'THANK YOU to those that have stood with me.'
A Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' executive producer has since revealed that Paul and Mortensen are banned from filming together following a temporary filming shutdown.
Jeff Jenkins, 58, who has also produced Keeping Up With The Kardashians, has now revealed how the scandal will impact the next season.
He explained the pair have official 'stay away' orders, meaning 'fortunately or unfortunately, whatever your perspective, we won't be able to shoot with them together, ever again, or at least for a very long time.'
Jenkins told Variety: 'I've talked to Taylor and she wants to come back and I want her to come back. So I'm really hopeful that that's going to happen. She's amazing.'
Paul has been embroiled in a legal battle with her ex Dakota Mortensen, with both sides accusing one another of domestic violence
Speaking about the impact it has had, Jenkins added: 'I think everyone in the existing cast has strong opinions about the last two months, and those opinions are every perspective you can imagine.
'So it's going to be very interesting when we start back up any day now. How does that sort out? We've got to shoot together to sort it out. But once that all sorts out, how is that going to impact the friendships, the relationships, and MomTok as a whole?
'I don't have the answer. I'm excited to see. I don't have a lot of detail on where each woman's head is at. I've just heard through the grapevine.'
A source has since told People that filming of confessionals has resumed, however production on the remainder of season five will not be moving forward.
'Apparently they're still going to film season 6,' the source said.
In addition to the failed Bachelorette star, Jen Affleck, Jessi Draper, Miranda Hope, Whitney Leavitt, Mikayla Matthews, Mayci Neeley and Layla Taylor all star on The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives.
