Five contestants from Taylor Frankie Paul's canceled season of The Bachelorette are considering legal action against ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery. They cite an unsafe working environment and personal sacrifices made for the show. The season was scrapped after video surfaced of Paul's violent 2023 fight.
Taylor Frankie Paul's season of The Bachelorette was canceled by ABC on Thursday, hours after TMZ published video of her 2023 physical altercation with Dakota Mortensen, her baby's father. The first episode was days from airing when the plug was pulled, leading to millions of dollars in losses for ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery, the show's producer. Sources familiar with the matter told TMZ that five contestants who competed for Paul's affection are now weighing a lawsuit against both companies. These men reportedly paused their lives, quitting jobs and passing up financial opportunities, expecting pop culture exposure in return. They claim Warner Bros. Discovery fostered an unsafe environment by permitting Paul—who has displayed past violent behavior—to engage intimately with them. The fallout has also disrupted plans for the next Bachelor season. Producers intended to select the next lead from the top four contestants on Paul's season, based on viewer feedback, but must now restart the process amid finger-pointing over responsibility.
