Reading Time: 3 minutes
As we previously reported, Taylor Frankie Paul is being investigated in connection with domestic violence allegations made by her former partner Dakota Mortensen.
Details about the allegations are scarce at the moment, but the situation is serious enough that Hulu felt the need to pause production on Paul’s reality show, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
The timing couldn’t be worse for ABC, as the network is currently promoting the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, on which Paul will star.
The network has already sunk tens of millions into productionn and promotion, and The Bachelorette is one of their biggest hits.
So you can be sure that pulling the season completely would be a last resort.
But there might come a time when ABC is left with no choice. The Bachelorette is already losing sponsors over the Taylor situation.
And now, TMZ is reporting that Mortensen reached out to the network to try to warn them about Paul’s past, but his allegations fell on deaf ears.
“Dakota had conversations with Bachelorette producers before she started filming to warn them about her behavior and past abuse … but production pressed forward,” the outlet claims.
Needless to say, that’s not a good look for the network. And it’s the sort of revelation that might eventually force execs to take action.
For her part, Taylor is doing her best to steer clear of the scandal as she promotes her season of The Bachelorette, which begins next week.
“Honestly, it’s been a heavy time, to see the headlines, especially during this time of The Bachelorette being released, it’s supposed to be a really exciting time,” she said during an appearance on Good Morning America on Wednesday.
“I’m a person that will always speak my truth. That’s what I’m known for. And when the time is right, I will be. But right now, just trying to be in the present moment and focus on this.
Taylor went on to note that her kids “come first” and the experience of raising her children while promoting the Bachelorette and managing her current scandal has been “stressful.”
The interviewer stated that GMA had reached out to Dakota for comment but had not received a response.
Asked about the production pause on Secret Lives, Taylor side-stepped the question, stating, “I don’t call the shots on production.”
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
