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Updated March 22, 2026 - ABC abruptly shelved its flagship dating series hours after new video evidence emerged.
Network pulls plug days before premiere
ABC scrapped the 22nd season of The Bachelorette three days before its scheduled Sunday debut, marking the first cancellation in the franchise's 24-year run. The decision followed the online release of previously unseen footage showing star Taylor Frankie Paul allegedly assaulting her ex-boyfriend in 2023 while their daughter was present.
A Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson confirmed the move, stating, "In light of the newly released video, we have decided not to proceed with the new season at this time. Our focus is on supporting the family."
Controversial casting backfires
ABC had heavily promoted Paul, a 31-year-old influencer with over six million TikTok followers, as the show's lead in hopes of reviving the aging franchise. The network sent her to the Oscars the prior weekend and cross-promoted her role across Hulu's Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, where she is a central figure.
Paul, a divorced mother of three, gained notoriety for her "messy" personal life, including a 2022 announcement about "soft-swinging" within her Mormon community. Her casting broke the show's tradition of selecting contestants from The Bachelor pool, a move critics called a "Hail Mary" to attract younger viewers.
"They put all the chips on the table. If it worked, The Bachelorette could have gained a whole new audience. But it was an all-or-nothing gamble."
Reality TV insider (anonymous)
Fallout spreads beyond ABC
Within hours of the cancellation, bakery chain Cinnabon terminated its partnership with both The Bachelorette and Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, citing a misalignment with its brand values. Paul's scheduled appearance on The Tonight Show was also canceled.
Legal repercussions followed: a court granted Paul's ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, temporary custody of their son. Both parties released competing statements about their volatile relationship, which had been a focal point of SLOMW. Neither responded to requests for comment.
Industry reckoning
Experts say the debacle exposes the risks of prioritizing drama over due diligence. Jo Hemmings, a reality TV consultant and author, noted that ABC's broadcast status-subject to federal oversight and advertiser scrutiny-made the misstep particularly damaging.
"Her history-criminal convictions, alcohol issues, mental health struggles-should have disqualified her. They just got it wrong."
Jo Hemmings, reality TV consultant
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and ex-Disney attorney, estimated the financial fallout could reach "eight figures," calling it "an expensive blunder." He suggested Disney likely invoked a morality clause to exit the contract but warned of lasting reputational harm.
Uncertain future for franchise
It remains unclear whether the filmed season will air later or be scrapped entirely. Production on the fifth season of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has also been paused. Entertainment attorney Jeff Schneider speculated that ABC and Warner Bros Television, the show's producer, are negotiating damage control with advertisers.
"They're keeping their cards close," Schneider said. "This was a clear risk they underestimated-either through poor vetting or willful ignorance."
