ABC Cancels 'The Bachelorette' 3 Days Before It Was Set To Premiere

Just 3 days before Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette was set to premiere on Sunday, March 22, it was canceled. This is the first time anything like that has happened with the franchise.

ABC pulled the plug on Taylor’s season on Thursday, March 19 after a 2023 video was released showing an altercation between Taylor and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. In the video, Paul and Mortensen appear to be in an altercation. Paul was seen throwing metal chairs at Mortensen. He was begging her to stop because her 5-year-old daughter, Indy, was in the room. Even so, Paul threw two more chairs while the child was heard crying in the background.

Indy is Paul's daughter, now 8, whom she shares with ex-husband Tate Paul, along with their son Ocean, 5½. She and Mortensen have a 1-year-old son named Ever.

Taylor was arrested for alleged domestic violence, and she faced misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief, and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child.

The 2023 indictment, obtained by PEOPLE alleged that Paul's daughter was struck when she threw “heavy, metal chairs” at Mortensen.

A Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson told USA TODAY on Thursday, March 19:

"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."

The Future of 'The Bachelorette'

The show's future is unclear following the cancellation of Season 22. As of Thursday, March 19, the press site for The Bachelorette displays "Nothing here" when the link is clicked.

Variety and TMZ reported that ABC could lose millions of dollars from license fees to Warner Bros. Unscripted TV, to marketing dollars, ad sales, and "trade outs."

The number of episodes in Paul's season had not been disclosed. However, The Bachelorette is usually between nine and 15 episodes. TMZ said each episode costs an estimated $2 million to make.

Following the cancellation, ABC has also removed Paul and The Bachelorette from its network website. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. TV Group, which owns the show, now faces the challenge of deciding how to distribute it internationally and receive revenue.

Both TMZ and Variety reported that the question of how advertising sales will be handled remains. TMZ reported on Thursday that the network had several "trade out" deals with airlines, hotels, and other brands that paid the network for the exposure on the primetime show.

The series also had an official Bachelor podcast with Warner Bros. Unscripted, the Bachelor Happy Hour, which could be affected in the cancellation's aftermath.

A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department further confirmed that there is an open "domestic assault investigation" regarding Paul and Mortensen. The spokesperson stated that "allegations have been made in both directions" and "contact was made with involved parties on February 24 and 25."

On Monday, March 16, a source confirmed to PEOPLE that filming had been halted on season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where Paul is a co-star. That cancellation comes amid news of an open domestic assault investigation involving her and Mortensen.

Valid Questions

Fans have questioned why ABC cast Paul as the lead, knowing the video is attached to the 2023 case, which was also discussed in Season 1 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

If by some miracle, Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette is eventually aired, would fans of the franchise watch it knowing about the baggage that the lead is carrying?