In a controversial turn of events, ABC television network faces contractual obligations to compensate Taylor Frankie Paul, the selected star for the canceled 22nd season of ‘The Bachelorette,’ despite the emergence of damaging assault footage that prompted the show’s last-minute cancellation. The decision to pull the season occurred merely one week before its scheduled premiere after a 2023 video depicting Paul’s violent altercation with her then-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, resurfaced in media circulation. The widely circulated footage shows Paul physically assaulting Mortensen by kicking him and hurling barstools, with one projectile inadvertently striking her young daughter, who immediately bursts into tears. This incident adds to Paul’s troubled legal history, as she previously pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault in a separate case. Legal expert Reddock-Wright revealed to Yahoo News that ABC’s prior awareness of Paul’s arrest record before finalizing her casting significantly weakens the network’s position to withhold payment under standard contractual clauses. While the precise financial settlement remains undisclosed, industry sources estimate the compensation to reach at least $250,000, highlighting the complex legal and ethical dilemmas reality television producers face when casting controversial figures.
Bachelorette star still likely to get full salary from cancelled show after resurfaced video depicts assault on her partner
