Reports claim that each episode of 'The Bachelorette' reportedly costs an estimated $2 million to produce
Credit: WireImage
NEED TO KNOW
- Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was canceled after a resurfaced video showed her attacking ex Dakota Mortensen
- It was previously revealed that The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives halted filming season 5 amid news of an open domestic assault investigation involving Paul and Mortensen
- In the wake of the season’s last-minute cancellation, reports claim that ABC could lose tens of millions of dollars
ABC could lose tens of millions of dollars after canceling Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette days before its Sunday, March 22 premiere, according to reports.
On Thursday, March 19, a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson issued a statement announcing the cancellation of the series' 22nd season after a 2023 video showed Paul throwing chairs at her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. “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 spokesperson said.
Shortly after the announcement, Variety and TMZ reported that ABC could lose millions of dollars, from license fees to Warner Bros. Unscripted TV, to marketing dollars, ad sales and "trade outs." Each episode reportedly costs an estimated $2 million to make, according to TMZ. (The Bachelorette is typically between nine and 13 episodes; the length of Paul's season has not been disclosed.) ABC did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment regarding the reported financial figures.
Following the cancellation, ABC has also removed Paul and The Bachelorette from its network website. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. TV Group, which owns the show, now faces the challenge of deciding how to distribute it internationally and receive revenue.
Both TMZ and Variety also reported that the question of how advertising sales will be handled remains. Back in 2024, franchise series The Golden Bachelorette was charging $86,955 for a 30-second spot during its first season, AdAge previously reported. Additionally, TMZ reported on Thursday that the network had several "trade out" deals with airlines, hotels, and other brands that paid the network for the exposure on the primetime show.
The series also had an official Bachelor podcast with Warner Bros. Unscripted, the Bachelor Happy Hour, which could be affected in the cancellation's aftermath.
Credit: Disney/Sami Drasin
Earlier, on March 19, TMZ published footage that showed Paul attacking her ex, Dakota Mortensen, while her child was in the room during an incident that occurred in 2023. It ultimately resulted in Paul’s arrest for alleged domestic violence, and she faced misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child.
In the video, Paul can be seen throwing a chair at Mortensen while her daughter Indy, then 5, was heard crying nearby. (Paul shares Indy, now 8, and son Ocean, 5½, with ex-husband Tate Paul. She and Mortensen welcomed son, Ever, in 2024.)
“This is called physical abuse,” Mortensen said while filming Paul. He later exclaimed, “Your daughter just got hit in the head by a metal chair.” This account matches the 2023 indictment, obtained by PEOPLE, which alleged that Paul's daughter was struck when she threw “heavy, metal chairs” at Mortensen.
A spokesperson for Paul told PEOPLE in response to the video, “It’s sad to see the latest installment of his never-ending, desperate, attention-seeking, destructive campaign to harm Taylor without any regard for the consequences for their child. Releasing an old video, which conveniently omits context, on their son's birthday is a reprehensible attempt to distract from his own behavior. Thankfully, the public has seen this act before and knows who he is and sadly, many will recognize this pattern of manipulation, both in his actions on the show, and from their own experiences."
In his own statement to PEOPLE, Mortensen said, "As anyone who has seen the video will understand, this is a deeply upsetting situation. I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same."
Paul pled guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault, which means that if she complies with the conditions of the plea, that charge will be dismissed. Meanwhile, the other charges have already been dismissed.
Paul previously claimed that the charges “were all dropped" during a September 2025 interview on Call Her Daddy, calling the incident the “hardest time” in her life. “I never had hurt my daughter. I never intentionally did anything with my children,” she added.
Paul's spokesperson also said in a separate statement obtained by PEOPLE that Taylor claims she endured "years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation."
"Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm," the statement read. "There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, 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 shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story."
Mortensen then denied her claims in a statement to PEOPLE: "I am, unfortunately, used to these baseless claims about me and our relationship, which I categorically deny. I am focusing on our son and his safety, and hope that Taylor will do the same."
Credit: Hulu; Sara Jaye/Getty
Paul and Mortensen began dating in the summer of 2022, and their relationship has been documented on the Hulu reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives since its debut in 2024. The relationship started after she and Tate broke up in 2022, following the "soft-swinging" scandal.
Taylor confirmed her split from Mortensen, 33, in January 2025. She announced her casting as the lead of The Bachelorette season 22 in September of last year.
On Monday, March 16 a source confirmed to PEOPLE that filming had been halted on season 5 of Mormon Wives due to "some pretty serious stuff happening regarding [Taylor’s] past."
A spokesperson for the Draper City Police Department further confirmed that there is an open "domestic assault investigation" regarding Taylor and Mortensen. The spokesperson stated that "allegations have been made in both directions" and "contact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24 and 25."
A rep for Mortensen told Entertainment Weekly that his "number one priority here is protecting Ever" and that "he was just hoping that if he says nothing, as he usually does, it would go away." The rep denied any suggestion that Mortensen was responsible for the investigation being made public. "He knew there was a possibility it could come out, but he was not going to be the one to proactively do that because he has always wanted a decent relationship with Taylor. It's been really hard to achieve that, but he wants to co-parent well."
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If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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