Update: Ex-'Bachelorette' Taylor Frankie Paul Video and Domestic Violence Allegations Explained ...Saudi Arabia

The Taylor Frankie Paul season of The Bachelorette is even more dramatic than expected—and not in any way that she or ABC would likely want: The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, who finished doling out roses to men competing for her heart in Season 22, is reportedly the subject of an ongoing domestic violence investigation ... and that led to the network pulling the plug on her entire season of the show.

Paul gave her first televised interview about the new domestic violence allegations on Good Morning America on March 18, 2026.

"In this moment, it’s just so heavy," she lamented. "When your life is broadcasted out there in these headlines, it’s like the end of the world, that’s what it feels like—I’m not going to lie. I will say, I’ve been here before and I got through it and I’ve shared my story and my light, and I’m hoping I can do that again."

She added, "Honestly, it’s been a heavy time to see the headlines, especially during this time of The Bachelorette being released, and it’s supposed to be a really exciting time. I’m a person that will always speak my truth and that’s what I’m known for and so when the time is right, I will be. But right now just trying to be in the present moment and focus on this."

To which we say, er, well, good luck! Here's everything to know about the harrowing domestic violence accusations against Taylor Frankie Paul so far—and what it means for both The Bachelorette and Secret Lives of Mormon Wives going forward.

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What are the Taylor Frankie Paul allegations?

Fred Hayes/Disney via Getty Images

Things are still somewhat murky right now as police continue their investigation.

The Draper City Police Department told PEOPLE that "allegations have been made in both directions" and "contact was made with involved parties on [Feb.] 24th and 25th." A source close to Paul, meanwhile, insisted to PEOPLE that Paul wasn't actually violent in the incident.

TMZ reported that Paul said Mortensen was the aggressor and that they fought in a car after she spilled something on him.

A source close to Mortensen, meanwhile, told the outlet that Paul ripped off a necklace Mortensen was wearing and choked him in front of their 2-year-old son Ever. Mortensen reportedly called police that night, but wasn't forthright with responding officers about what he now says actually happened. The Mortensen sources said that Paul apologized and returned to his home the following evening, when she allegedly threw his phone into a wall and scratched his face and neck in another altercation. When one of Mortensen's friends saw the scratches, the pal called police, who reportedly saw proof of Mortensen's injuries.

TMZ reported that both Mortensen and Paul were ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluations, but that Mortensen denied that he was required to do so. TMZ also reported that Paul lost custody of Ever until at least April 7, 2026, when she and Mortensen are due in court.

Related: Bachelor Alum Sydney Warner Slams Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette Casting: ‘Not Mentally Well’

Who is Dakota Mortensen?

Disney/Hulu

Mortensen is Paul's ex.

Paul and Mortensen began dating in June 2022 and went public that September. Paul denied that Mortensen was involved in the famous "soft-swinging" scandal that made her a #MomTok celebrity.

They welcomed son Ever in March 2024.

Mortensen and Paul's relationship was on-again-off-again, and they split for what seemed like for good in December 2024, but Mortensen said in a SLOMW confessional that he and Paul slept together just before she left for Los Angeles to film The Bachelorette.

TMZ reported that Mortensen and Paul were engaged in a fierce custody fight over Ever beginning in late 2025. According to TMZ, Mortensen called child protective services to report Paul for child abuse several times before her arrest (see below).

Related: Is Taylor Frankie Paul Pregnant? The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4 Cliffhanger Explained

Was Taylor Frankie Paul arrested for domestic violence?

Hulu

Taylor Frankie Paul was allegedly investigated for domestic violence several times.

NBC News reported that in February 2026, Dakota Mortensen reached out to the West Jordan, Utah, Police Department about an alleged 2024 domestic abuse incident, though details and exact dates haven't been publicly revealed just yet. Neither Mortensen nor Paul commented on the report at the time. Police said both Paul and Mortensen were cooperating with the investigation and that they have some video footage that they're going over currently. As of this writing on March 25, 2026, no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed in that case.

Paul was previously arrested for domestic violence in February 2023.

At the time, she was charged with aggravated assault, domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse and criminal mischief.

The Salt Lake Tribune later reported that Paul choked Mortensen and threw "heavy metal chairs" at him in a fight. The chairs missed and one reportedly accidentally hit her 5-year-old daughter that she shares with ex-husband Tate Paul. Mortensen has video footage of several instances of Paul's alleged abuse that he's been showing to friends, according to TMZ.

Hulu

That footage indeed leaked to TMZ. On March 19, 2026, harrowing video that Mortensen recorded from his phone showed Paul putting him in a chokehold and throwing several metal stools in his direction, one of which hit her then 5-year-old daughter Indy. Indy can be heard screaming and crying in the clip as Mortensen tries to tend to her while Paul screams at him and continues lunging towards him.

The video ends with officers responding to the scene in bodycam footage that was previously shown on the series premiere of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

More bodycam footage released to TMZ on March 24, 2026, shows Mortensen begging police to take him instead of her Paul. Other footage shows an officer talking to Mortensen on the phone and asking whether Paul urinated on herself because she was drinking or because she was a victim of domestic violence; Mortensen insisted it was the former.

Six months after her first arrest, Paul agreed to plead guilty to felony aggravated assault in exchange for dropping the rest of the charges against her and spent just a single night behind bars. Per the agreement, if she followed the terms of the plea deal for three years, her charge would be knocked down to a misdemeanor on her rap sheet. She's reportedly still within that three-year probation threshold until August 2026, so whatever went down in the new investigation may turn out very badly for her.

In a September 2025 interview on Call Her Daddy, Paul lamented that the arrest and its aftermath were the “hardest time” in her life and claimed, “I never had hurt my daughter. I never intentionally did anything with my children.” The word "intentionally" is clearly doing some heavier lifting there that anyone realized at the time.

After the video leaked, a rep for Paul said in a statement, “It’s sad to see the latest installment of [Mortensen's] never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child. Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son's birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences."

On March 20, 2026, Paul wrote in a comment on a TikTok video about the leak, “Worst part is my daughter having to relive and see it all over again years later after extensive work with her and apologies to her about that night and my baby boy birthday was taken from him.”

The rep did not specify what context was missing from a video in which Paul, again, throws a metal stool that hits her own child and doesn't stop to help her, and Paul hasn't addressed the trauma she caused her daughter when she, again, threw a metal stool that hit her daughter in the head. We're on the edge of our seats waiting to find out what that missing context is!

Related: New Details Emerge in Taylor Frankie Paul’s Alleged Domestic Violence Incident

What did Dakota Mortensen say about the Taylor Frankie Paul domestic violence allegations?

Disney

Mortensen broke his silence on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

"His number one priority here is protecting Ever," Mortensen's spokesperson said in a statement. "He knew there was a possibility it could come out, but he was not going to be the one to proactively do that because he has always wanted a decent relationship with Taylor. It's been really hard to achieve that, but he wants to co-parent well."

After the video footage of the 2023 domestic violence incident leaked, Mortensen said in a statement, "As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation. 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."

After the news of her second domestic violence investigation surfaced, Paul's ex-husband, Tate Paul, was spotted getting a restraining order against her at the same time as Mortensen.

Related: Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen’s Relationship Timeline — And What Led to Her Bachelorette Firing

How did TMZ get the video of Taylor Frankie Paul?

Herriman County Police Department

TMZ hasn't revealed the source of the video, but they previously reported that Mortensen had been showing the video to his friends. He has denied leaking the video, so it's possible that someone else in his circle did.

Is Taylor Frankie Paul still Bachelorette?

ABC

Ah, an important question at last! And the answer is now no. ABC planned to air the new season of The Bachelorette as scheduled, rap sheets be damned, until video of Paul attacking Mortensen in 2023 leaked to TMZ on March 19, 2026. It was the footage—not her first arrest (which was shown on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives) or even her second—that made the network change its mind.

ABC said in a statement, “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.”

After ABC announced that Paul's season was cancelled, a rep for the troubled starlet said in a statement, "Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. 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."

Paul reportedly almost missed the first day of filming for The Bachelorette after hooking up with Mortensen the night before. Paul's SLOMW co-stars said in a recently resurfaced clip from The Viall Files that Mortensen has a habit of popping up right before big events in her life.

“Why do you think Taylor didn’t show up today? Of course, it’s always him behind the scenes sabotaging things,” Mayci Neely said in the snippet.

When host Nick Viall asked Neely and Layla Taylor if he should blame Mortensen for Paul's hesitance at the time, both MomTok stars said, "One thousand percent." Neely said Mortensen was a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and that his onscreen persona is far different from what he's like behind closed doors when cameras stop rolling.

“He sabotages all the exciting things,” Neeley added, explaining that she believed Mortensen didn't want Paul to thrive and that she felt like he was competitive with Paul: “I think he’s so insecure that he has to bring her down to his level, to be honest.”

Related: Taylor Frankie Paul Followed The Bachelorette Suitor Before Canceled Premiere

Did Taylor Frankie Paul finish filming The Bachelorette?

Disney

Paul revealed back in December 2025 that filming for The Bachelorette Season 22 had wrapped, and a later report said that she actually stormed off the set at one point when one of her suitors asked about her prior arrest.

At least part of the likely reason that ABC was hesitant to pull the plug on Paul's season was the cost: The Bachelorette reportedly costs $2 million per episode to produce and $5 million per episode to license from Warner Bros., and that Paul's season was nine episodes long. That sum doesn't even include the loss of licensing fees, ad revenue, brand partnerships (like Cinnabon, which pulled their deal with The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives after the news of Paul's second arrest, but before the video was released).

The Los Angeles Times reported that ABC may actually lose as much as $70 million after canceling Paul's Bachelorette season, while Variety claimed that the network may end up airing the season later on Hulu, the latter of which would be ... a choice.

Related: What Happens to Taylor Frankie Paul’s Bachelorette Contestants Now?

Did ABC cancel The Bachelorette?

Disney

Some reports asserted that in addition to canceling Paul's season of The Bachelorette that ABC was considering scrapping the entire Bachelor Nation franchise.

At least one Bachelor Nation alum thinks the show should be cancelled altogether. Former BacheloretteRachel Lindsaysaid that the network should pull the plug on the show, claiming that Paul's controversy "completely destroyed" the franchise.

Why did SLOMW stop filming?

Disney/Hulu

Secret Lives of Mormon Wives filming is halted for the time being.

"They are not filming. Taylor has some pretty serious stuff happening regarding her past, and they will see what happens," a source told PEOPLE. Until that resolves, they are off."

A second source said that the rest of the cast distanced themselves from Paul following the latest domestic violence allegations.

"None of the women want to be associated with her," the source noted.

Sources close to Paul, however, told TMZ that production paused because Mortensen "went MIA" after their fight in his car and that producers wanted him to be present to shoot.

Paul's co-stars on SLOMW reportedly had a Zoom meeting with ABC and Disney execs, including executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment Rob Mills, in which the Wives warned the network about Paul's violent tendencies and mental health.

One of the stars said in the call, audio of which was obtained by NBC News, "It’s a dangerous situation, it’s a sad situation, and we don’t know how to navigate it, because Taylor is our friend." They reportedly also claimed Paul was paid more than they are, which Mills denied.

They each acknowledged "upsetting" and "distressing" videos of Paul's conduct that made them fearful to film with her. One reportedly asked Mills if he was "aware [Paul] hurt a child?" He reportedly replied, "I don’t think for us getting into it is right ... [ABC is] never going to hide anything that is wrong for the sake of business." He also encouraged the SLOMW stars to address their concerns on the actual show, but noted that he couldn't guarantee that those scenes wouldn't be edited out before they aired.

A network source told NBC, "The purpose of the March 7 Zoom was to tell The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast that we care about their safety, and they should not feel pressured to do press or film the show."

Related: Will the Taylor Frankie Paul Domestic Violence Allegations Be Featured in SLOMW?

Is Mormon Wives Season 5 still happening?

Photo by Fred Hayes on Getty Images

It remains to be seen whether or not Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 5 is still a go. As of this writing in March 2026, the series has paused filming, but depending on when production began, they may still have enough footage to cobble together for release.

During his Zoom call with the non-Paul stars of the show, Mills reportedly said, “I want this to continue, and I want everyone to continue really being successful, both with this show and and beyond it. But I think really, just navigating through this thing and taking care of each other is the most important thing right now."

On March 23, 2026, PEOPLE reported that there may be a spinoff of Mormon Wives without Paul, but it remains to be seen how Hulu, ABC and the cast will proceed.

If you or someone you love are experiencing domestic violence, know you're not alone and it isn't your fault—and that there's a safe way out. Please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org for confidential help without judgment, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Related: Inside ‘Bachelorette’ Star Taylor Frankie Paul’s Life Today — From Scandal to Faith

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