Shock: Taylor Frankie Paul’s TV future revealed as ABC ‘wants to make sure she’s OK’.
Frankie Taylor Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was canceled (Image: Getty)
A Disney executive has suggested Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette could air, but insisted the focus is on her wellbeing.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, 31, was scheduled to appear on The Bachelorette in March, but her season of the hit ABC show was canceled just three days before it was scheduled to premiere.
The show was pulled after a video resurfaced of an altercation between Paul and her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. Utah police then announced they were investigating an alleged domestic violence incident.
“It’s still day-to-day, so we’ll see,” Rob Mills, executive vice president of unscripted and alternative entertainment at Disney, said at Deadline’s Reality TV Summit.
When asked if the season will ever air, Mills said it was a “good question” before adding, “On a personal level … we want to make sure she’s OK.”
Mills also addressed Paul’s future at ABC while speaking to TheWrap in an interview published on April 22. “We take everything a day at a time,” he explained.
The Disney exec added, “We’re sort of really still processing everything and figuring out … planning for the next cycles of The Bachelor franchise, and really just kind of looking at everything.”
Mills said the focus for the network has now shifted to The Bachelor. However, he also said Paul’s personal situation remains a priority.
He explained, “First and foremost, honestly, just making sure that Taylor, her family, everyone is being taken care of, just on a personal and human front.”
When Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was canceled, an ABC spokesperson released a statement saying, “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.”
The video in question saw Paul kicking, punching and throwing a chair at her then-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen. Paul’s then-five-year-old daughter was present during the altercation.
Paul and Mortensen have since been legally ordered to stay away from each other for three years after they both filed restraining orders against one another.
The judge handed down the ruling after a 90-minute hearing on Thursday, April 30.
As part of the ruling. both Paul and Mortensen were given protective orders of three years, during which time the exes will be prohibited from contacting or coming within 100 feet of each other.
If the pair fail to follow the conditions of the court order, “an arrest can be made, and charges can be filed.”
The former couple share a two-year-old son together, with the pair having to wait until May 11 for the judge to make modifications to their current custody agreement. It currently includes eight hours of supervised visits a week for Paul.
