Overview
- ABC pulled the completed Season 22 of The Bachelorette in March after a leaked 2023 video surfaced showing Paul throwing a barstool during an incident with then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, and the network has said it will not air the season “at this time.”
- Taylor Frankie Paul shared a fan Change.org petition on her Instagram Stories on Thursday, August 13 and said she signed it, helping the petition climb to roughly 16,000–18,000 signatures as supporters call for the season’s release.
- Utah’s Department of Children and Family Services has asked a juvenile court to find Paul’s three children “abused, neglected or dependent,” a developing administrative action that is separate from criminal matters and could affect custody and public access to the footage.
- Paul pleaded guilty to an assault-related charge in 2023 and reports say she completed a three-year probation period earlier this month; her representatives have said she is prioritizing her family’s safety and has accused an ex-partner of abusive behavior.
- The controversy has disrupted related reality production—The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives paused and had its season shortened—and leaves ABC weighing reputational, legal and child-welfare risks as public debate grows over whether the shelved episodes should be released with disclaimers or only on streaming.