Domestic violence probe shadows Taylor Frankie Paul's "Bachelorette" premiere
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Viewers are demanding ABC pull the upcoming season of "The Bachelorette" after a domestic violence investigation tied to its star, Taylor Frankie Paul, surfaced just days before the premiere.
Why it matters: The allegations raised against "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" cast member — and prominent Utah influencer — spell trouble for the network's March 22 rollout of one of its flagship franchises, crisis communications experts tell Axios Salt Lake City.
Driving the news: A spokesperson for the Draper Police Department confirmed to People earlier this week that it is conducting a "domestic violence investigation" involving Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, with whom she shares a 2-year-old son.
- The incident unfolded late last month, and "allegations have been made in both directions," per the magazine.
- A city of Draper spokesperson confirmed the police department's statement to Axios, but declined to share further details.
Representatives for The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, and Hulu did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
The latest: Fans of the series have taken to the show's social media channels to voice concern and tell ABC to cancel Paul's season.
- "I'm a person that will always speak their truth, and that's what I'm known for — and so when the time is right, I will be," Paul said during a Wednesday appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America."
State of play: The allegations have already had tangible consequences for Paul, including bringing production of SLMW's fifth season to a halt, and Cinnabon ending its partnership with her, according to multiple news outlets.
The big picture: The "MomTok" influencer was always a controversial pick for the network, said Kelcey Kintner, senior vice president at Red Banyan, a crisis and strategic communications firm. Kintner pointed to Paul's 2023 arrest and guilty plea for aggravated assault in a case involving Mortensen.
- "This new investigation throws a major curveball, and ABC is definitely scrambling to figure out what to say and how to handle it so the network's reputation doesn't get sullied," she told Axios.
- ABC chose Paul to "shake things up a bit and bring in more viewers," but this is not the kind of attention they wanted.
Now, the network finds itself between a "reputational rock and a public interest hard place," said Amber Melville-Brown, senior counsel and global head of media and reputation at law firm Withers.
- It can either ignore the allegations and social media criticism and seem tone-deaf, she told Axios, or engage too openly and risk looking like it's exploiting the situation.
- "There are reputational consequences in inaction as much as in action," Melville-Brown said.
ABC's next move will largely depend on how much pressure the network receives to pull the show, Kintner said.
- ABC may lean heavily on the fact that the incident is still under investigation, she said, providing some cover to move forward with the series.
- If there are no charges, Kintner expects the show to air.
Yes, but: If Paul is arrested, she predicts ABC will pull it and "protect its reputation."