‘A bomb went off’ – Inside ABC’s Bachelorette crisis talks before axing Taylor Frankie Paul over shocking assault video

ABC was gearing up for a blockbuster return of The Bachelorette, but just three days before Season 22’s scheduled premiere, horrific video footage of Taylor Frankie Paul derailed the entire franchise.

Network bosses have now pulled the plug on the season after holding a series of crisis talks over the reality star’s recent legal troubles involving allegations of domestic violence, including a controversy that exploded on Thursday when footage of Taylor’s 2023 physical altercation with ex Dakota Mortensen was first released.

The difficult-to-watch video, which was taken by her ex Dakota during the altercation in 2023 but recently obtained and published by TMZ, showed Taylor, 31, repeatedly punching and kicking her baby daddy.

At one point, Taylor throws several chairs at him, all in front of his daughter Indy, who was only 5 at the time and was just inches away from violence as she is heard bawling throughout the video.

While fans of The Secret Life of Mormon Wives were already aware of Taylor’s past altercation with Dakota, to which she ultimately pleaded guilty, this was the first time footage of the fight was made public — leading to calls for a boycott.

The video released online is apparently also the first time executives at Disney, ABC’s parent company, have seen Taylor’s horrific behavior, a production insider exclusively told the US Sun.

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The network’s top executives held “crisis talks” all day to determine how best to handle this season — which is just three days away from the premiere.

“The leaders did not see the video before the rest of the world saw it. It is an absolute shock and a complete failure on every level.

“ABC should have done more due diligence, but they also feel that Taylor downplayed his past issues and was not completely honest with them.

“If they had known the magnitude of this, they never would have chosen him,” the source claimed.

The footage is so bad that the insider calls it “the worst case scenario” that ultimately led to the entire season being shut down.

“Active crisis negotiations took place all day Thursday. It was as if a bomb had gone off in the network offices. Many network executives wanted to end the season and felt there was no way forward.

“A few [higher ups] were still holding out due to the astronomical cost it would entail if the season was interrupted at the last minute.

“Not only that, but they will then need months of Sunday night programming that they are not prepared for.

“There are more logistics involved than people think, but at the end of the day, they know it’s a horrible situation and they can’t move forward as planned,” the source claimed.

While another production insider said there was “a lot of back and forth about this at ABC” – with some at House of Mouse HQ feeling “a lot of reluctance to finally pull the plug”.

“The verdict was this: we cannot afford any controversy over [new Disney CEO] Josh D’Amaro’s first week. Yesterday it was [longtime CEO] Bob Iger’s last day.

“So, new CEO Josh officially takes over today, and Dana Walden officially becomes president of the company today.

“It’s officially the first day of work and they said no, put it to bed, don’t touch it.”

The insider said the decision was particularly difficult given that the network was “so excited” about the premiere after Oscars weekend.

“Now it’s like it’s considered a waste, and it was a waste. It was a waste of a track, because now the show is dead,” they added.

Taylor breaks her silence

Following the decision to end Taylor’s season, she broke her silence and released a statement promising to one day tell her own side of the story.

“Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes the safety and security of her family.

“After years of silently suffering mental and physical abuse and threats of retaliation, Taylor finally finds the strength to confront her accuser and take steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from further harm.

“There are too many women suffering in silence as they survive aggressive and jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives.

“Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shame.

“She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story,” the statement from Taylor’s representatives read.

Taylor’s casting has already sparked fierce debate online, with some critics accusing the network of rewarding bad behavior, while her supporters argue she deserves a chance to tell her story and move forward.

The high-stakes gamble comes at a critical time for the long-running franchise’s showrunners, who, according to The US Sun, are furious over its latest scandal after a downward trend in viewership.

Bachelorette Bombshell

Taylor’s controversy was catapulted after a high-profile legal situation involving the reality star and her former partner, Dakota, became public this week — just days before the premiere of her season of The Bachelorette.

Dakota allegedly called the police during an altercation at his Utah home on February 23.

An officer told the US Sun that allegations of violence were made to officers when they responded to the incident.

“There are allegations of violence on his part, but it would be fair to say that these allegations come from both parties,” the officer explained.

“She also alleges other things. It’s a complicated issue. Very, he said, she said.”

Dakota also filed for a restraining order, claiming Taylor “choked and pushed him against a window” in front of their son Ever, 2, during the February 2026 altercation.

The fallout has become so severe that a source close to production told US Sun that filming on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives had been halted for the past two weeks with the rest of the cast allegedly refusing to film.

The insider said the cast feels production has “protected” Taylor in her relationship with Dakota beyond her 2023 arrest for aggravated assault.

Taylor broke her silence on the issue Wednesday during a Interview with GMA, insisting that she focuses on her family first and foremost.

The now-canceled season of Bachelorette was originally scheduled to air Sunday, March 22 on ABC.