ABC Has Made a Statement on Taylor Frankie Paul: 'Our Focus Is on Supporting the Family'
"Our focus is on supporting the family."
Updated March 20 2026, 11:05 a.m. ET
In case you have been living under a rock, Taylor Frankie Paul, the star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Lives on Hulu, has been in quite the media storm. With the anticipation of her Bachelorette season, fans were excited to see the reality star find love. However, Taylor is no stranger to controversy, and her past is coming to bite her back, hard.
After videos showing the 31-year-old influencer engaging in a domestic violence incident with her child’s father have come to light, social media users have been dogpiling on her nonstop. And with the Bachelorette season initially set to premiere on Sunday, March 22, 2026, it appears that fans will have to take a step back. ABC has issued an official statement on Taylor Frankie Paul, which has been met with mixed reactions. Here’s the full scoop.
What statement did ABC make about Taylor Frankie Paul?
It’s been real! According to TODAY, ABC has made a statement through its parent company, Disney, about the fate of Taylor's Bachelorette season.
“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,” a Disney spokesperson said.
Interestingly, Disney did not share any information about whether the season will pick up with a new lead. Not to mention, the company also failed to address whether or not Taylor’s season — which has already been filmed — will see the light of day.
A spokesperson for Taylor also shared that the star is focused on protecting her children.
“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,” the statement reads. “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 spokesperson 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.”
Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen, were involved in a domestic violence incident.
TMZ never has any problem spilling the tea, and in this case, they spilled over a glass of Hennessy. On March 19, 2026, the outlet shared that a 2023 video shows Taylor attaching her ex, Dakota Moternsen.
In the video, Dakota can be seen struggling to record the incident as Taylor gets hold of him and puts him in a headlock. Keep in mind, as this is going on, her child, 5-year-old Indy May Paul, is present.
The incident escalates when Taylor tries to kick Dakota, but Dakota grabs a barstool and throws it at her. Taylor is seen throwing two more stools at Dakota, despite him telling her, “Your daughter is sitting right there.”
Indy can be heard crying in the background. Police eventually arrived after a neighbor called to make a noise complaint. Taylor was taken into custody and later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.
Making matters even worse, TMZ shared that the police report says Indy had a "goose egg on her head” after being hit during the melee.
People reports that Dakota has filed a restraining order against Taylor. Given this incident and other domestic violence incidents that he says occurred this past February, it’s safe to assume that a judge will likely grant the order with major restrictions.