Taylor Frankie Paul‘s career crashed down around her on Thursday when ABC decided to pull the plug on her season of The Bachelorette, just days before it was set to premiere. Hours after the news broke, Taylor released a statement regarding the cancellation of the season. However, the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star managed to turn herself into the victim and seemingly imply that it was her own choice to scrap the ‘Bachelorette’ season— despite the release of a very disturbing video on Thursday showing her physically attacking her ex Dakota Mortensen in 2023.
“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security,” the statement— which was put out by Taylor’s rep— said. “After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”
“There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives,” the statement continued. “Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”
As The Ashley previously reported, TMZ leaked a video on Thursday that showed Taylor physically assaulting Dakota in 2023. Although Taylor pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for the incident, Thursday marked the first time anyone had publicly seen just how bad the incident was, with Taylor shown kicking, hitting and throwing metal stools at Dakota. (One stool accidentally hit Taylor’s child.) Taylor was placed on three years of probation, which ends in August.
After the video went public, ABC decided to cancel Taylor’s season of ‘The Bachelorette’, which was due to premiere on Sunday.
Dakota— who filed for full custody this week of the son he shares with Taylor— also released a statement on Thursday.
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“As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same.”
As The Ashley told you, Dakota (as well as Taylor’s ex-husband Tate Paul) each filed for restraining orders against Taylor on Tuesday in Utah.
In addition to losing her season of ‘The Bachelorette,’ as well as a brand deal with Cinnabon, Taylor will also no longer have work with Meta, the company that owns social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. The company’s rep told TMZ on Thursday that it had partnered with Taylor in 2025 to post a variety of videos tagged #MetaPartner. That agreement has ended, as of last week.
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Finally, Taylor’s future on ‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ is currently unknown. Several cast members have confirmed, though, that production of the show’s fifth season is currently on pause, due to the recent events involving Taylor.
“It was a decision that all of us girls came up with,” her co-star Mikayla Matthews wrote on Instagram Stories this week. “We didn’t feel comfortable filming with everything that was happening.”
Stay tuned…
RELATED STORY: ABC Has Cancelled Taylor Frankie Paul’s Season of ‘The Bachelorette’ Following Leak of Disturbing Assault Video
(Photos: Hulu, Instagram)
15 Responses
Something is definitely wrong if you need to overly defend your parenting online and convince people youre a wonderful mother.
I saw the disturbing video. I also watched the first 2 seasons of SLOMW. I definitely think Taylor’s violence was downplayed a lot. Plus there was a statement stating her daughter wasnt hurt. Clearly she was hit by a metal chair (thrown by Taylor) and crying in the video.
I believe she was asked about it at a reunion. She definitely seems to be under the influence of something in the released mugshot (from 2023 i believe, not the recent one).
Taylor needs some professional help. Dakota isnt a saint either, and could also benefit from professional help (I think he sold the video to tmz and is butthurt about Taylor getting to be the “Bachelorette”).
The children are the real victims in this. The fact Taylor isnt taking accountability is disgusting.
Am I the only one who is fixated on the fact that her ex-husband also filed a protective order??? He has to have some reason/situation to file that. Dakota clearly has his issues, but after watching this last season, you can see Taylor has some mental health issues she needs to get help for…her responses are not logical. I am ticked off at TFP beacuse she is making me feel bad for Dakota…lol.
Probably a combination of the video from 2023 coming out and her having another incident last month for basically the same thing.
I saw that too. I think it’s super weird. Her ex-husband isn’t a public figure so I’m not surprised his reasoning isn’t being made public.
Dakota and her ex husband apparently went to the courthouse the same day to file restraining orders against her.
Dakota is no saint but neither is Taylor. This is one of those Jenelle/David situations. They’re both just as toxic and messy as the other. I did see the video of Taylor though and the way she was totally expressionless, said almost nothing, just going at him like there was not a single thought behind it, she looks dang near possessed. Yikes!
She just get worse and worse, still won’t take accountability for her awful behaviour, still playing victim. I hope she’s never on tv again.
The networks are apparently freaking out about the money they’re going to lose by cancelling the season. Apparently it costs $2 million to produce each show. It costs $0 to Google the names of actors before casting them.
She already pled guilty to the assault, and the court case was over before she was cast. Maybe now the networks will do a basic background check before casting, but I would have assumed they were doing that for years. Sometimes all we can do is sit back and laugh
With all of her brand deals being revoked, as well as her Bachelorette season being canceled, SLMW has a pretty easy decision to make, like oh I don’t know… booting her a$$ out of SLMW and #momtok, and it looks like someone’s gonna have to bite the bullet and get herself a McJob.
We as views knew it was bad, but that video made me sick, and confirmed her absolute no care for the fact she hit her kid, and went to throw a 3rd stool instead… absolutely disgusting
Bet #momtok won’t survive this one!
she just keeps doubling down, doesn’t she? 🙄
#perpetualvictim
#zeroaccountability
Violence, vctim-blaming, and not taking responsibility for one’s own actions are gross.
Even when the violence went both ways. But she is not exactly defending herself in that video, she keeps attacking him and is out of control. Even endangers her own child.
Im hope whoever bet on this horse at hulu, Disney etc and getting properly recompensed. Stuffing your fingers in your ears and going lalala and hoping it goes away generally doesnt work.
We can have reality shows with drama without abusive psychopaths. She reminds me of Jax Taylor.
It seems TFP is taking a page out of Demi’s playbook: trying to turn herself from the villain to the victim. TFP and Dakota are both extremely problematic, and I hope they both take a step back from social media and get the help that they need for the sake of their son.