Doug Mason, the winner of Taylor Frankie Paul’s unaired season of The Bachelorette, is finally sharing his side of their short-lived romance.
Nearly 10 months after proposing to the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, Mason opened up about their short-lived romance during the Oct. 13 episode of Bachelor Happy Hour, hosted by former Bachelorettes Rachel Recchia and Charity Lawson.
In the first installment of the two-part tell-all, the 28-year-old former contestant discussed everything from meeting Paul’s children and ex-husband to questioning whether she had moved on from her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, before ultimately deciding to propose.
The interview comes after ABC pulled Paul’s season of The Bachelorette from its March schedule following the release of footage from a 2023 domestic dispute involving Paul and Mortensen.
Here are five of the biggest revelations from Part 1 of Mason’s tell-all interview.
1. Doug Mason says he fell in love with Taylor Frankie Paul
Mason recalled feeling an immediate connection with Paul when he stepped out of the limousine on the first night of filming.
The two shared the night’s first and only kiss, leaving Paul speechless, according to Recchia and Lawson, who said they had seen footage from the unaired season.
Mason described feeling a sense of “safety” when he first saw Paul, explaining that he entered the experience without judgment despite her complicated public history.
As their relationship developed, Mason said he began falling in love with Paul, particularly admiring her role as a mother and her empathetic personality.
“The Taylor that I met during The Bachelorette was sweet,” Mason recalled. “She was sweet and kind and generous.”
He also pointed to their similar backgrounds, shared appreciation for family and enjoyment of life’s simpler moments as reasons they connected.
However, Mason admitted there were times when he felt Paul was holding back emotionally.
2. Mason met Paul’s three children and ex-husband Tate
One of the biggest revelations came when Mason opened up about meeting Paul’s three children during filming.
“When I met her children, I knew it was an important moment,” he told the podcast hosts.
Mason, who previously worked as a junior lifeguard instructor, said he enjoys being around children and felt confident he would connect with Paul’s kids.
Still, he admitted the meeting was unexpected.
“She didn’t prepare me for that,” Mason recalled, describing the experience as “sink or swim.”
Despite the nerves, Mason said he had a wonderful time with the children, calling them “lovely.”
He also revealed that he met Paul’s ex-husband, Tate, in a private conversation that was not filmed for the show.
Recchia expressed surprise at the revelation, prompting Mason to describe the meeting as one of the most mentally exhausting experiences of his life.
According to Mason, Tate questioned whether he was prepared for the realities of dating Paul.
“Being with Taylor will change your life,” Tate reportedly warned him.
Mason said the conversation left him needing time alone to process what he had heard.
3. Mason suspected Paul wasn’t over Dakota Mortensen
Despite his growing feelings for Paul, Mason admitted he repeatedly questioned whether their relationship could last.
“The main reason I doubted Taylor was I had this inkling that Taylor was not over her ex,” he said, referring to Mortensen.
Mason described having a “strange gut feeling” that he documented several times in his journal.
Those concerns intensified during a group date when someone compared Mason’s appearance to Mortensen’s.
Mason said the comparison itself wasn’t what upset him. Instead, he felt hurt when Paul appeared to agree with it rather than defend him.
“I wanted Taylor to stand up for me in that moment,” he explained.
The experience prompted Mason to walk away from the date, leaving him questioning whether Paul saw him as an individual or as someone who reminded her of Mortensen.
Looking back, Mason said he eventually felt like a temporary replacement for Paul’s former boyfriend.
He also revealed that Paul told him during filming that she had slept with Mortensen before leaving to film The Bachelorette.
Mason’s concerns echo revelations from Season 5 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, in which Paul admitted to reconnecting with Mortensen after returning from The Bachelorette, despite getting engaged to Mason during filming.
Although Mason said he didn’t judge her for what happened before they met, the admission added to his concerns about their future.
4. Mason and Paul discussed not getting engaged
As filming approached its conclusion, Mason said he and Paul had several conversations about their future.
Despite their romantic connection, both recognized that they needed more time to get to know each other outside the reality TV environment.
“We came to the realization that we still needed time to know each other,” Mason said, adding that he also wanted more time with her children.
Mason explained that he didn’t want Paul to feel pressured into accepting a proposal simply because of the show’s expectations.
“I’m not going to let this experience dictate our future,” he recalled telling her.
While Mason considered himself spontaneous and enjoyed romantic gestures, he admitted that proposing felt like a significant step given his lingering doubts.
He said he never promised Paul that he would get down on one knee.
5. Mason decided to propose despite his doubts
Perhaps the biggest revelation came when Mason explained what ultimately convinced him to propose.
On the way to the final ceremony, Mason recalled riding a speedboat through rainy weather while questioning whether an engagement was the right decision.
As crew members sheltered him from the rain, he began praying and looking toward the sky for guidance.
Mason said he knew the relationship would require work, but he also wanted to fully embrace the experience and his feelings for Paul.
Ultimately, he decided to follow through with the proposal.
“This girl came here for a proposal, damn it, she’s gonna get one,” he recalled thinking.
Although the couple became engaged during filming, their relationship ultimately ended.
Paul has since responded to Mason’s interview, suggesting the former couple grew closer following their broken engagement.
Listen to Part 2 of Doug Mason’s Bachelor Happy Hour tell-all, released Wednesday, Oct. 14, here.
The full episode is titled Doug Mason: The Cheating, the Breakup, and the Final Exchange with Taylor Frankie Paul — Part 2. It runs approximately 37 minutes and covers their breakup and final conversations.
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