Trending Now - The Bachelorette' Rule-breaking Stunt With Taylor Paul Fizzles
WHO:
Taylor Frankie Paul, influencer and reality TV star
Dakota Mortensen, Paul's on-again, off-again boyfriend
ABC, the network that produces The Bachelorette
Draper City Police Department
Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office
Utah Court System
WHAT:
Taylor Frankie Paul posted on her Instagram Stories on March 26, 2026, stating, “Thank you to every check in, call, prayer sent. Your unconditional kindness and check in can [be] felt.”
Paul is under investigation for an alleged third domestic violence incident involving Dakota Mortensen, as reported by NBC News on March 25, 2026.
A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department confirmed an ongoing “domestic assault investigation” between Paul and Mortensen.
Paul was still on probation stemming from her 2023 incident during the filming of The Bachelorette.
The leaked video that led to the cancellation of The Bachelorette was published by TMZ on March 19, 2026, and was not initially released through a public records request.
The KSL Investigators confirmed that the cellphone video was not publicly released until after it was published by TMZ.
Taylor Frankie Paul posted on her Instagram Stories on March 26, 2026, thanking her supporters, stating, “Thank you to every check in, call, prayer sent. Your unconditional kindness and check in can [be] felt.”
The Bachelor franchise had planned to lean into the messiness of reality TV with Paul as the lead, but the situation led to the cancellation of her season.
Taylor Frankie Paul is the first lead of The Bachelorette to have a criminal background, with charges stemming from a 2023 arrest.
Paul pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault, with two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, a class-A misdemeanor charge of child abuse, and a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Paul is under investigation for an alleged third domestic violence incident involving Dakota Mortensen, as confirmed by NBC News on March 25, 2026.
Paul stated in a TikTok comment, “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.”
Paul responded to a TikTok user questioning her social media activity during the controversy, saying, “Want me to stare at the wall instead?”
ABC scrapped the season of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul three days before its premiere.
Paul was set to be the first lead of The Bachelorette who had never appeared in a prior cycle of the franchise.
Paul has over 7 million followers on her combined social media platforms.
Paul has a criminal background, including a 2023 arrest for aggravated assault.
Paul pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault, with two counts of domestic violence and other charges dismissed.
An ongoing domestic assault investigation involving Paul and Mortensen was confirmed by the Draper City Police Department.
A leaked video of a 2023 domestic incident led to the cancellation of The Bachelorette.
The video was published by TMZ on March 19, 2026.
The KSL Investigators confirmed that the cellphone video was not initially released through a public records request.
WHERE:
Herriman, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
WHEN:
The KSL Investigators filed a public record request on March 17, 2026, asking for copies of all public record requests related to the 2023 case involving Paul.
TMZ requested the footage from the Herriman Police Department on March 17, 2026, and the department did not respond until March 23, 2026.
The Bachelorette season was set to premiere on March 22, 2026.
Paul was arrested in 2023.
The video was leaked on March 19, 2026.
A public records request for the video was filed on March 17, 2026.
WHY:
The decision to scrap the season was influenced by the leaked video of Paul’s domestic incident, which ABC executives had not seen until it was published.
HOW:
A TMZ representative filed a request for the footage on March 17, 2026, but the Herriman Police Department did not respond until March 23, 2026, after the video was already published.
The KSL Investigators confirmed that the cellphone video of Paul was not publicly released until after it was published by TMZ on March 19, 2026.
The cellphone video of Paul was captured by Dakota Mortensen and was included as evidence in a 2023 domestic violence case, which Paul later entered into a plea in abeyance agreement.
The cellphone video was captured by Dakota Mortensen and was included as evidence in a 2023 domestic violence case.
TMZ requested the footage from the Herriman Police Department, which did not respond until March 23, 2026, after the video was already published.
(UPDATED March 27, 2026 19:18 UTC)
Taylor Frankie Paul took to Instagram on March 26, expressing gratitude for the support she has received, saying, “Thank you to every check in, call, prayer sent. Your unconditional kindness and check in can [be] felt.” This comes as she is under investigation for an alleged third domestic violence incident involving Dakota Mortensen, with a spokesperson from the Draper City Police Department confirming an ongoing domestic assault investigation, while Paul remains on probation from a previous incident during the filming of The Bachelorette. The leaked video that led to the show's cancellation was published by TMZ on March 19, after a request for the footage was filed by a TMZ representative on March 17, but the Herriman Police Department did not respond until March 23, after the video had already been made public.
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(UPDATED March 27, 2026 11:14 UTC)
Taylor Frankie Paul took to her Instagram Stories on March 26, 2026, to express her gratitude to supporters, saying, “Thank you to every check in, call, prayer sent. Your unconditional kindness and check in can [be] felt.” The Bachelor franchise had intended to embrace the drama surrounding Paul as the lead, but the controversy ultimately resulted in the cancellation of her season. KSL Investigators revealed that a cellphone video of Paul was not made public until after TMZ published it on March 19, 2026.
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(UPDATED March 27, 2026 03:53 UTC)
Taylor Frankie Paul has made history as the first lead of The Bachelorette with a criminal background, stemming from a 2023 arrest where she pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and domestic violence charges. Currently, she is under investigation for a third alleged domestic violence incident involving Dakota Mortensen, as confirmed by NBC News on March 25, 2026. In a TikTok comment, Paul expressed concern for her children, stating the worst part is her daughter having to relive the events, while also responding to criticism about her social media activity during the controversy.
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(UPDATED March 26, 2026 21:10 UTC)
ABC has canceled the season of The Bachelorette featuring influencer Taylor Frankie Paul just three days before its scheduled premiere on March 22, 2026, following the leak of a cellphone video documenting a domestic incident involving Paul and her on-again, off-again boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. The video, which was published by TMZ on March 19, revealed details related to an ongoing domestic assault investigation, prompting ABC executives to scrap the season after they had not seen the footage prior to its release. Paul, who has over 7 million followers and a criminal background that includes a guilty plea for aggravated assault, was set to be the first lead of the franchise without prior appearances in earlier cycles.